Pieces
by firewalk
Summary: Pricefield: 2 months after the storm hit Arcadia Bay, Max & Chloe find themselves far from the lives they knew and in a small mountain town in the north. Together they must learn to live and heal from a past they'll never forget, but learn there is more life and adventure to experience yet. Life is strange, and this is only the beginning of something new.
1. Chapter 1: Footprints

Max Caulfield can never sleep whenever a storm comes at night.

On this particular night the small brunette wrapped herself in a blue duvet with her knees drawn to her chest, gazing through open blinds at the rain drops splattering against the window glass. She listened to the wind against the side of the apartment walls, blowing trees around in the 3am world mere feet from her. The only light around streaked across her face from the street, a soft orange glow she focused on to calm herself down. Storms reminded her of nightmares, and nightmares reminded her of the burden she carried in her chest. Max didn't want to think about that.

Sighing, she broke from her trance by reaching behind her and flicking on a tall standing lamp. Eyes adjusted as the small room became softly illuminated, revealing the journal that sat at the foot of her blanket cocoon. Max didn't have much desire to pick it up and open its pages, she hadn't done so since _that_ week in October. It was December now, a week before Christmas, and her world had been drastically different since its last entry.

Max was different.

The window shook as a light rise of wind pounded against it and Max's startled face was reflected back at her as her attention was again stolen the weather. With the lamp on it was much easier to see the changes to her face the past few months had brought her, even with the wooden slats in the way. Max didn't know if she recognized herself when her eyes looked so dark, her face so skinny, her skin so pale. Sighing again, her expression softened as she reached down and picked up the tattered journal in front of her. Underneath it lay a pen and a handwritten note from her best friend; the same best friend that was sound asleep in the room next door, oblivious to the storm and the girl wide awake on the couch.

" _Max..."_ the note was titled, written in a scrawl that the brunette knew so well. Max had already read the message, but she reread it to help brace herself for what she was about to do.

" _Max, I don't know how to say this, but I need you to read this and listen. I know you don't like talking about things any more, you hardly talk at all, least of all with me. It's so hard to see you shut down like this, Max. You shut me out and… I would do anything for you, you know? These past few months have been the hardest of both of our lives, but I am grateful for every second I get to spend with you. You're my hero, Maxine Caulfield, and you always will be. I need you to know that, okay?_

 _It breaks my heart to see you so defeated and inward all the time. I try so hard to do everything I can to make things better for you, the best I can, but it's so hard watching you suffer. You barely eat anything and I'm worried, you're so strong but I can see the way the world crushes your shoulders and the way your clothes hang off you like you're wasting away. You'll talk about anything to do with me, always focusing on if I'm okay, but you won't let me in to see the hurt you're carrying. You won't tell me anything._

 _I know you're hurting Max even if you try to smile and reassure me. I notice how you stare off into the distance and get lost in whatever reality is flickering through that head of yours. I know how awful those nightmares are every night, you cry in your sleep and I feel so helpless when all I can do is hold you tight and cry with you. You always tell me you can't remember in the morning, but I notice how you will shake sometimes with whatever horror is lingering. It breaks my fucking heart!_

 _If I could have the nightmares and the flashbacks so you wouldn't have to, I would Max! I don't fucking care! It's so unfair, you never asked for this from the universe! If I could heal every horror and heartache you carry in your chest, I would do anything. You think you are saving me by not sharing any of it with me but Max… I need you to let me in. Let me help you._

 _Please, Max? Can you please let me in?_

 _I love you.  
Chloe." _

Max gently traced the last words on the page which were lightly smudged. A few of Chloe's tears had slightly warped the letters, and the next thing Max knew was the pain of her teeth against her knuckles and the struggle of holding back her own.

A state of numbness is Max's normal experience in lieu of tears ever since that fateful week of October, but if there was one thing that could break her in an instant it was Chloe Price.

Seeing Chloe's tears on paper was enough to light a small fire in Max's chest, a smoldering ember that gave her enough life to do what she hadn't done in months. Gritting her teeth as the storm outside jolted the window alive once more she was determined, she had take this next step. Max opened the journal to a new blank page, picked up her pen and put ink to paper.

She knew what she had to do, but not exactly what to say.

Max didn't want to think about it too much so she allowed herself to go with the flow, trying to make some sense to the chaos inside her head. She needed to do this. She knew the reason why she didn't tell Chloe about what was going through her mind most of the time wasn't because she wanted to protect her best friend, but also because she'd been shutting herself out too. Living in denial; trying to push it down and hold it inside, rather than face her emotions head-on.

After finding the note written before the forecasted storm was set to hit she knew she couldn't keep running from the past any more. Max needed to bring herself back to the present. Something had to change.

The pages began to fill with every memory she could think of, every feeling and thought without lingering. Every page that she turned meant Max felt a bit lighter, and it began to feel a bit easier. Catharsis was the word Max thought of. The night continued as the brunette wrote until her hands began to cramp. Nothing was held back, not anymore.

 _The lighthouse. Witnessing the vision come to life. A tornado tearing apart her home town, Arcadia Bay. Chloe Price, blue-haired best friend, holding her hand and holding Max tight while she said her silent farewell to her mother, her family and her life. Crushing guilt, sorrow, and eventual numbness. Chloe, carrying her from near-collapse to the truck. Strong, desperate arms embracing as they took shelter from the aftermath._

Max couldn't remember everything that came immediately after, her memories drifting in and out of focus as if she was torn between shattered realities. The storm lifted the remains of Arcadia Bay was illuminated by the afternoon sun. She doesn't recall the events that lead to her and Chloe leaving, she just remembers that they had to, with every fiber of their being neither girl could stand to stay. Max doubted they could have survived if they had. They left everything and everyone behind.

She briefly remembers a flash of deer leaping among the wreckage, and thought they weren't unlike the spirit doe she'd seen in the forest earlier that week.

 _The first week was the worst. Max can only remember slivers of it, and knew it would have been worse for Chloe. Max fell into catatonia. Couldn't stop reliving the storm or seeing deceased faces haunt her. She wouldn't talk for days on end, nor eat, and Max isn't even sure she slept. They avoided the news when it was obvious that there would be little to say. A handful of survivors, the lucky people who evacuated. It was evident there was nothing left of Arcadia Bay to go back to so they kept going forward. Sleeping in the truck, or cheap roadside motel rooms, they kept moving. Chloe made sure of that._

 _Chloe broke down the second week, something Max will never forget. It snapped her out of her trance and she's stopped forgetting so much since. Inside the walls of a dated and delipidated roadside motel Chloe screamed and threw plates before collapsing to the floor in a sobbing heap. Max felt that small fire in her chest that cleared her head, got her move to her Chloe and wrap arms around the frame of the tall, blue-haired girl. Much like Chloe had been doing for her every night, Max cradled the girl in her arms and tight to her chest, kissing her head with reassurances. It didn't take much to convince Max that from that moment forward she wouldn't ever let Chloe go through it all alone. Max began to talk and eat again after that, even if it wasn't much. She hated the thought of Chloe having to carry her burdens any longer._

 _It has been too difficult for Max to even begin contemplating facing her parents again, so she hasn't. Yet. Conflicting emotions tend to tear her apart if she thinks about it for too long. It doesn't seem right to carry the weight of everyone who haunts her nightmares and still see her own parents again. Yet. Chloe is orphaned. Neither of them bring it up. Then again, Max knows it's her own fault._

 _Motels, hotels, campgrounds – these are the places that became home. Taking things day by day. Getting by on stolen money from a school that no longer exists. Max doesn't journal. She doesn't take photographs. Instead, she has nightmares. Nightmares of tornados, torture, death. So much death. Chloe holds her in her sleep every night, without fail. Max isn't sure if her best friend ever gets a full night's sleep. Sleep has felt like a luxury long passed. Especially when there is a storm.  
_

 _Max hasn't rewound again. Yet. She's not even sure if she could._

 _It's December and a few days ago they finally rented an apartment. They talked enough to agree that they needed to settle somewhere, stay put for a while and find…some sort of normalcy. Small, one-bedroom unit in an old block of apartments backed up against forest, in a small Washington mountain town. A month of rent paid for in advance. A long way away from the bay of ruins or the sea._

 _Christmas will be soon. They haven't talked about it. Or about family. Max never hears Chloe talk about her mother, Joyce, or even her stepfather, David. Except for tonight. Chloe whispered Joyce's name in her sleep and Max couldn't bear to wake her up when the storm came, because for once she didn't sound sad. It sounded like a pleasant dream. Chloe deserves some peaceful sleep._

Every page but the last filled, Max dropped the journal and her pen down at her side and closed her eyes, allowing the moment to wash over her. Breathing deeply and exhaling just as slow, she felt something come over her that she couldn't even recall the last time she had felt it. Contentment? Or at least some ounce of it was now there. Acceptance? Perhaps.

Max's head doesn't feel quite as fogged as she's been used to. It takes a moment to realize that the storm outside had finally ceased, and when she bent down to pick her phone up off the ground she learned it was nearly 6 in the morning. The sun would soon be rising above the mountain tops to leak into her apartment.

A soft murmur could be heard from the other room and Max let her gaze drift to the bedroom door. In that moment, Max couldn't help but allow her heart to swell at the thought of the girl laying in that bed.

The fire in her chest grew, so she grabbed her journal again and tore out the last page. Putting pen to paper once more, she knew what she wanted to write this time.

" _Chloe…_

 _I don't know if I'll give this to you right away, but fuck it, I've got to put this in writing!  
Chloe Elizabeth Price… I love you with all of my damned heart, okay?  
You're right, I've been shutting you out and falling into my own internal world and…  
I'm sorry. Because that's so unfair to you. _

_You deserve so much better.  
You say I'm your hero but don't you know you're mine?  
You've carried me across this country, held me every night without fail, and you never give up. On me or any of this!  
You deserve all the credit in the world for it because you're incredible, okay? Your strength has been incredible. You drove every day without complaint, you have stayed by my side… even though you've lost everything.  
Chloe, I'm so grateful for you.  
I promise you I'm going to do things differently from now on. I need to let you in. You've earned it.  
I promised you that I'd never leave you. You are my number one priority now.  
You deserve every ounce of me that I can give you. Every bit of truth you need. _

_We_ _deserve so much better. Neither of us asked for any of this, but destiny... brought us together._

 _We deserve to live better, happier.  
I believe this now, because of you._

 _You're my partner in time.  
I'm in love with you.  
Max."_

Dawn light started to crack through the blinds instead of the streetlamp glow as Max contemplated the page before her, then folded her letter before tucking it back among the pages of her tattered journal.

Max could hear something start land softly against the window and looked up again when she realized it wasn't rain. As dawn was broke on the horizon, it was snowflakes that were now falling from the sky.

Reaching behind her to turn off the lamp, Max pulled a few blind slats down with her fingers to inspect the change in weather. There was something about the falling flakes that looked beautiful in the soft light that she couldn't help it when the duvet fell off her figure as she leaned across to open the blinds fully, hoisting herself up to the windowsill so she could see the outside world.

A small smile crept across her face as she observed the forested hills in her view. A winter wonderland was beginning to be made of the small mountain town.

Her attention was caught by a moving blur on the ground below, and Max gasped when she sighted a light brown doe standing on their block's lawn. Leaning forward and watching, Max met it's eyes when it looked up, flicking it's ears in the snowfall. A sudden wave of inspiration overcome her so she leaped from her perch and ran to the other side of the room, pulling open a low cabinet door to run her hands along a shelf.

"Come on, it's gotta be in here- ah! _Yes!_ " Max's fingers clasped around an object and she falls over backward in her sudden excitement, a Polaroid camera in hand.

She leaped back up onto the couch, looking back out window. She's glad to see it hasn't moved, still sniffing the air.

 _I gotta get outside!_ _This would be such a beautiful shot!_

Max's balance is momentarily off thrown by the spongy couch seating and she wildly throws her arm out to stabilize herself, but accidentally knocks the lamp over - throwing it against the wall with a loud smash.

"Fuck!" She exclaims, but chooses to ignore it as she runs over to throw open the front door. As Max runs bare-foot down the apartment stairwell she can hear a startled Chloe in the bedroom yelp, "Max!?"

Tiptoeing the rest of her way down as fast as she can, she manages to reach the lawn without making enough noise to startle the doe on the edge across from her.

The doe is still standing there, but now it's gaze has been captured by Max's appearance. Not wanting to hesitate for a moment Max lifts the viewfinder to her right eye and frames the deer. The shutters click and camera flashes before it can move, and just as she thought the doe starts to make its way towards the trees behind it.

Max is still watching it as she instinctively grabs the ejecting film from her camera, then her breath catches as she notices the doe change its mind and softly tread towards her instead.

Max can't help but feel as if something was really _familiar_ about what was unfolding right in front of her, and without thinking she raises her hand out toward the doe. She's motionless as it sniffs curiously at her palm, then audibly gasps when, for a split second, all she can see is a vision of Joyce Price smiling at her while a warm tingling emotion fills her chest.

The moment feels so inexplicably _loving_ that Max doesn't ever want to leave from that spot.

"MAX!?" Chloe's fearful voice from above breaks through her illusion, and just like that the deer sprints off into the forest. Max feels the wet snow meeting her knees as her legs collapse from underneath her, Chloe's footsteps pounding towards her, but she's so overcome with emotion that she just stares at the polaroid she's dropped onto the ground. Chloe is behind her within a few seconds, panic on her face settling as she puts her arms around the small brunette and also joins Max on her knees.

"Max?! Are you okay?" Chloe is frantic, searching Max for injury. "What's going on, why are you outside?"

When she sees the tears falling from Max's eyes and the girl starting to sob, even more fear seeps into Chloe's voice.

"You're crying! What's wrong? Max?"

Max lifts the photograph off the ground and holds it in one hand with her camera, rocking back on her heels to look at Chloe, unable to stop the sobs from rolling up from her chest into her throat. Chloe looks as if she's about to ask something else out of fear before Max raises her free hand to her cheek to comfort her.

"Shhhh…" Max whispers reassuringly, "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Chloe's hand places over Max's, muscles relaxing a little, but never takes her wide eyes off of her face. Max smiles sweetly, and the expression takes Chloe by surprise.

"Max," Chloe starts, "I heard a crash and when I woke up you weren't there, the front door was open… I was so scared. Are you sure you're okay?"

Max nods, then can't help herself as she pulls the blue-haired girl into an embrace as she rises.

"I'm right here, Chloe. I'm okay. I promise."

She can feel her best friend relax against her before pulling her shoulders in tightly, and closes her eyes and lets herself feel the security Chloe brings her in the embrace. Chloe doesn't say anything, wordlessly conveying her care, gently rocking her.

When Max opens her eyes again, she sees over Chloe's shoulder with a hint of surprise tiny hoof prints in the snow, then turns and buries her nose into Chloe's neck. In this moment, Max knew what _home_ really felt like. It was Chloe Price's embrace and the warm fire it ignited in her chest.

"Let's get inside, I've got something I want to talk to you about." Max whispered.

Before Chloe could respond, Max began leading the bewildered girl back up the steps by her hand, careful not to jostle the picture with the camera in the other. She looked down at the image with a smile.

The polaroid had finished developing, revealing a patch of white lawn and falling snowflakes, backed by the edge of a forest.

There was no doe to be seen within its frames.


	2. Chapter 2: Dreams of Home

Chloe Price hadn't dreamed since the storm had torn through her life in Arcadia Bay two months earlier, instead spending nights feeling restless and hollow, watching over the small frame of the brunette girl lying next to her as closely as she could.

However tonight was different, and Chloe realized she was dreaming the moment she had stepped into it.

She found herself standing in her childhood bedroom and family home, staring towards her unmade bed at the wall where magazine pages and marker graffiti was scribbled over the place. Blinking rapidly, she shook her head and brought her hand up to her eyes as warm afternoon light filtered in through her window above the desk, then spun around to take everything in. Everything was the same as it was just a few months ago, clothes splayed out on the ground with her usual mess.

 _I must be dreaming… but what's going on?_

Her heart leaped up into her throat as a familiar voice called her name up the stairs.

"Chloe!? Could you come downstairs please! I need to talk to you!" Her mother yelled from the kitchen downstairs.

Instantly, Chloe scrambled for the door, throwing it wide open and almost missed a step as she flew down the staircase with urgency.

"Mom!? _Mom!?"_ She called back, pausing in the frame of the kitchen doorway to see her mother spin around with a shocked expression in response.

"Chloe, what's going- _oof!"_ Joyce Price gasped out as her blue-haired daughter wrapped her up in a tight embrace.

"Mom…" Chloe could only manage a choked whisper, pressing her face into her mother's shoulder and feeling her warmth as Joyce tentatively, then warmly, returned the gesture with some confusion.

"Chloe, are you okay? What's going on? Are you unwell?"

"No, no…" Chloe loosened her grip and stepped back so she could look her mother in the face, tears streaming down to her wide smile. "I just… I've really missed you. And... I love you so much."

Joyce's confused furrow lightened up as she took her daughter's face in, returning the smile.

"I love you too, dear. But we need to talk to you, could you go and get your father in from outside? I think he should be nearly done with the coat on the side of the house."

It took a moment for Chloe to register what her mother had said. She gasped.

"Dad's outside?"

"Yes, dear, so hurry up and go get him." Joyce laughed softly.

But Chloe didn't need to be told twice, she was already making her way towards the sliding door and stepping outside to the backyard.

Sure enough, there was her father William Price, kneeling next to the house wiping a now-blue paintbrush on a rag.

"DAD!" Chloe burst out yelling, her voice a mix of excitement and pain. She ran forward and threw her arms around his shoulders, embracing him from behind and nearly toppling him over.

"Woah, woah! Hey kiddo! Careful, you're not as small as you used to be!" William laughed, reaching one arm behind him to stabilise Chloe as he stood up.

"Dad! Woah, _Dad! You're here!"_ Chloe couldn't help herself, her heart was racing and elation was running through her body. She couldn't believe her father was there in front of her.

William turned around to face his daughter with a grin on his face and obvious surprise at his daughter's reactions.

Chloe began to shake, even more tears trailing down her face, and this time embraced her father more gently. She couldn't help the sobs wracking her chest, she just wanted to hold on to him as tightly as she could.

" _Dad, I miss you. I miss both of you."_ She whispered.

"Chloe, I told you I'll never leave you. I'm always here."

 _I wish.  
_  
Chloe squeezed tighter and it sounded like he was about to say something else, when-

 _CRASH._

* * *

"Fuck!"

Chloe bolted upright in bed, eyes-wide, heart pounding and gasping for breath. She was staring dead ahead at the small wardrobe at the end of her bed, sheets wrapped around her frame and the blankets half on the floor. Sweat caused her black tank to cling to her back and her eyes scanned the room rapidly as she tried to take in the reality she had woken up in.

She looked to her right where the brunette girl would normally be.

 _Where's Max?_ She thought just as she could hear the front door being thrown open. The abnormal action sent a cold chill down her spine.

"Max!?" Chloe called from the bedroom, throwing sheets off as she launched herself towards the doorframe. She scanned the small lounge in front of her, noticing the smashed lamp that lay next to the couch, then looked up to the front door that was open and letting in a freezing breeze.

Chloe's heart was nearly in her chest and panic overcame her as she bolted outside and gripped the railing of the staircase, searching for Max below. She couldn't understand what was going on, and she was shocked to spot Max halfway across the lawn below kneeling snow and damp ground.

"Max!?" Chloe called again, making her way down the staircase rapidly while she watched the smaller girl bend over and start to cry.

 _Oh no, oh no, oh no…what's going on?_

Max was sobbing when Chloe placed her arms around her quaking shoulders, trying to find out what was going on. What worried her was that Max didn't normally _cry_ , she _shuts down._

She wasn't prepared when Max looked up and cupped her face with one hand in reassurance, stunning her as she _smiled._

 _...What?_

She wasn't prepared for the sudden embrace, either.

Yet Chloe allowed herself to relax for a moment as Max pulled her close. _She's here._ Chloe thought to herself. _She's okay._ Her mind flickered back to the dream world she was just in, where she had found herself in her mother and father's embraces too. Embraces she'll never find herself in again. The blue-haired girl squeezed Max gently as another thought came mind.

 _Max is all I have now._

A warm fire ignited in her chest as she held tight, and stayed when Max pulled away, grabbing her hand and leading them both back to the apartment. Chloe was slightly overwhelmed by the mixing pot of emotions swirling through her mind that she almost missed it when Max spoke.

"Let's get inside, I've got something I want to talk to you about." Max had said.

"What?" Chloe asked, just realizing how cold she now was making their way up the staircase. The legs of her sweatpants were soaked through, sodden from snow and wet grass. In fact, it had only just dawned on her that the reason why everything was cold was because it was starting to snow heavily; Their outdoor surroundings were starting to disappear in a white-out. Chloe looked down to Max's hand leading her back up the stairs and noticed how blue they both were, their arm hairs on end. "Fuck, it's cold!"

Max giggled lightly, but said nothing else ahead of her.

 _Did Max just...giggle?_

 _Did I hear that right?_

 _...She never laughs.  
_  
Chloe hadn't heard that laugh once, not since they had left Arcadia Bay. She had begun to believe she might not ever hear the girl laugh for the rest of their lives, especially not after witnessing the entire city flattened and shredded by a tornado.

It almost sounded like a miracle from the disheveled frame of a girl; a girl who carried the weight of an incredible power she never asked for on her shoulders.

"Max?" Chloe asked once they had closed the door behind them and watched Max head into their bedroom. She followed her and found the brunette throwing a clean hoodie on, standing in the doorway observing Max her with intrigue as she then searched for something else on the floor. "Uh, what you doing?"

"Chloe, it's okay, I'm just going to change into something warmer then we'll talk." Max told her. She didn't sound upset, and she was no longer crying, so Chloe allowed herself some relief before searching for something warmer to change into as well.

"Okay…" She breathed out and Max smiled at her as she turned around, and once again Chloe was stunned.

 _Woah._

Seeing Max smile was also an uncommon occurrence, but whatever was going on it brought a lightness to her features, causing Chloe to stare a little longer that what was considered... normal.

In a fresh pair of trackies she recalled recently finding in a goodwill store (much like most of their clothing these days), Max turned and walked out to the kitchen, leaving Chloe to finish getting changed herself. She threw on whatever she could find, again caught by surprise when Max called to her from the other room.

"Would you like some tea?"

 _...Tea?_

 _She's making... Tea?_

 _Max hasn't made herself a drink in... I don't even know._

 _Do we even have tea?_

"Uh… coffee?... Maybe?" Chloe answered.

"Um. Where is it?" Max called back. Chloe padded out to the small kitchenette opposite their room and joined her just as she finished filling their kettle with water.

It occurred to Chloe that Max didn't quite know where things were because she barely eats or drinks, if it weren't for the fact she'd nag and encourage Max until she does so.

Chloe walked to the sink and opened a cupboard above it, pulling out a bag of instant coffee mix, while Max found two mugs and took the instant mix out of her hands to prepare their drinks with milk.

 _Max, what is going on with you today?_

 _What's happening in that head of yours?_

She couldn't help but observe her best friend. Something truly different was going on, but she didn't dare say something that might... put her off. She hadn't seen Max look so alive in what felt like a lifetime.

 _She could almost pass for 'normal' right now._

Max turned towards the taller girl, briefly smiled, then spoke softly. "Chloe, go sit down and I'll bring these out soon. I promise you I'm okay. The duvet is on the couch."

Still unsure, Chloe followed orders and relocated to the couch that up against the window. The smashed lamp that must have been the source of the crash was laying on the ground with a broken bulb. She figured she was going to find out what happened there soon enough, so she picked up the duvet to sit down and pulled it up to partially cover her.

Something fell to the floor when the duvet moved, and Chloe noticed Max's private journal on the ground next to a phone and a note.

 _The note I wrote her?_

 _She must have read it. And the journal looks full…_

She looked up again to the girl making coffee.

 _Did Max sleep at all last night?_

She examined Max's form, recognizing what prompted Chloe to write to Max in the first place, hoping it would be taken seriously since she struggled to open up about herself in person. The past two months had been unkind to the smaller girl, and Max had lost a lot of weight, becoming so pale and weak. It was breaking Chloe's heart to see her once bubbly, dorky best friend like this.

But this morning... Chloe could see a lightness to her features.

"Max...were you up all night last night? Was it because of the storm?" She asked as Max crossed the room with two coffees.

Max simply nodded as she placed them down on the small coffee table in front of Chloe.

"Mhmm, yeah," Max confirmed. "I... woke up sometime after midnight."

Chloe shuffled over slightly as Max lifted the other end of the duvet, joining her and leaning back so they were facing each other. Chloe picked up a mug and passed it to her, then took a sip from her own, allowing the warmth to seep through her.

"You should have woken me up. I know you don't like storms." Chloe stated.

"You were really asleep. It sounded like you were having a good dream, and I didn't want to disturb you. It's okay."

Chloe thought about how peaceful and loving her dream with her parents was. It might have been the most peaceful thing to happen to her recently. "Yeah…" She murmured, "It was."

Max smiled with a depth of gentleness to it, and Chloe's heart fluttered a little against her ribs.

"So... what did you want to tell me?" Chloe asked. "Why were you outside?"

Max didn't answer for a few moments, pensively staring at the mug between her palms. When she spoke, her words were low and soft.

"I uh… I saw Joyce."

 _Huh?  
_  
"What?" Repeated her thoughts, all eyes on Max.

 _What does she mean?_

 _...Like the dream I had?  
_  
"Um. I'll explain. I think it has something to do with…something that's happened to me before. Chloe, did I tell you about the doe? In Arcadia Bay?" She raised her vision to meet Chloe's again. She was serious.

"A doe? Like a deer? No, I don't remember you saying anything about one…"

Max bit her bottom lip for a moment, the way Chloe notices she always does when she's got something heavy on her mind.

"Ah. It had something to do with Rachel Amber." Max's blue eyes watched Chloe intensely.

Chloe was surprised to hear the brunette bring up the name of her deceased best friend, whose body the two of them had dug up during a week of traumatic adventures.

"Rachel…? Wh-what?" She stammered.

Max's shoulders slumped a little as she exhaled strongly, then continued with her explanation.

"I guess back then there was so much going on that I never really thought about it that much. But during that whole, fucked up week, I kept seeing this…doe. In the forest, in the junkyard, and I even tried to take a picture of it… but when the photo developed it wasn't there. Even though I had seen it right there, right in front of me. It was in my visions too...it would lead me to the lighthouse and show me where I could go safely, or find the newspaper that let me know the tornado was coming that Friday. I thought maybe I was going crazy, but I mean I had the power to rewind time. I don't think it came anywhere close to any of the insane stuff we were going through at the time..." Max's sentence trailed off. She was looking at Chloe earnestly, and the blue-haired girl hadn't moved at all.

Chloe was taking it in slowly. Max was right, it doesn't sound nearly as crazy as time-travel does.

"Go on." She gently urged her.

"So…" Max continued, "When we found Rachel...she was there. The doe, I mean. She was watching us... and I mean I was watching you, but when I looked up again the doe started to fade away." She paused and audibly swallowed. "Then you remember when I blacked out on the beach, and had that fucked up nightmare while you carried me? She was in my dream too... She lead me to the bathroom so I could keep going where I needed to be. I didn't really think about it until long after, but. I really think it was Rachel guiding me." Her eyes pierced through Chloe's with intensity. "Back to you."

Chloe turned and gazed out the window now, reliving the memories inside her head. They weren't as raw as they used to be, but they still weren't pleasant. The snow was still falling outside, the world cold and white. She took a moment to think about what Max was saying.

 _She's saying...Rachel really could have been there that week?_

 _Rachel was some kind of… spirit doe?_

 _It...would make sense, in a way. I remember feeling as though Rachel could have been watching over us during that week._

 _It's not the most far-fetched thing, not after everything. Maybe it is true?_

Max was still, only holding her coffee between two hands while watching Chloe's face. Chloe could feel those beautiful blue eyes on her and thought about how this was the most Max has opened up to her about specific details of that week. She trusted Max with every inch of her being; if Max believed it was Rachel Amber guiding her that week, Chloe would believe it too. The thought made her chest swell a little.

"So the doe was Rachel? What does this have to do with my mother?" She asked in a tiny voice.

"I saw a doe this morning that looked exactly like the doe in Arcadia Bay."

 _Oh?_

"Is that why you were outside?"

"Mhmm." Max nodded. "I had to find my camera, I had to find out if it was the same. Oh, and I knocked over the lamp stumbling off the couch."

"Ah…I heard."

Max's tiny smile was sheepish for a second, then flicked back to serious. "I ran outside and took a photo of it. I was scared it was going to run away, but after I took the photo it came up to me and I touched it. Chloe, it was like I was filled with warmth and love… and I had this vision of your mother, she was smiling at me."

Chloe gasped.

 _Does this have something to do with my dream, too?_

"Do you… do you have the photo?" She asked. Max nodded, placed her coffee down on the table again and went back to their bedroom. She came out holding the Polaroid. Chloe reached for it, studying the picture with furrowed brows.

"There's nothing in it… it's just snow and grass?"

Max's smile was part grimace this time; she didn't look entirely sure of herself.

"Yeah. I know it sounds crazy but, she was there! She ran away as soon as you called my name."

"Oh."

The brunette reached down past Chloe and picked up the journal, flipping through its pages searching for something else. Stopping on a page in the middle she turned it to Chloe, and she could see there was a polaroid taped to the page as well. It featured grass, bushes and trees.

 _It looks like the junkyard?_

"There's also nothing in this photo?" Chloe asked, looking up at Max.

"Yeah, I know. But that's where the deer was standing in the junkyard. Before we found Rachel. I know, it sounds crazy, but I saw the doe."

 _Could it really be?_

"Max… last night I was dreaming about my parents. Joyce, and William. It was so vivid and so real... and I could hold them in my arms. I was so happy, Max. The happiest since…" Chloe trailed off, but Max's smile grew.

"When the doe touched me it really was her in my vision, Chloe. Your mother. There was so much love. I think… I think it was a sign. I think she's watching out for us."

"A sign?"

"Yeah…" Max was sitting back down again and reached out to grab Chloe's hands, holding them in front of her.

"Chloe, I-I don't know what it means but I know it's … moved me in some way. I feel like something is going right or something is going to be better and…" She looked sideways, as if mulling over what she had to say. When Max looked back at her again her eyes brimmed with tears.

 _Damn, she's crying again!_

 _I might cry too.  
_  
"Chloe I'm so sorry I've shut you out all these weeks. You have been amazing and I need you to know I'm so grateful… you have been saving me. You deserve better and I'm going to let you in from now on, I promise. You're my number one priority and I'm going to start sharing stuff with you okay? If what happened this morning is a sign then I'm going to take it and…and…" Her voice cracked as she began to choke up.

 _Oh Max, my Max…_

Hearing Max cry made her chest ache, and Chloe jumped forward and pulled the small girl into her, wrapping her arms around those slender shoulders tightly. Max reciprocated, and she could feel the smaller girls chest rise and fall in quakes against her own. Max pressed her face into her shoulder and Chloe could feel dampness against her skin as tears fell down her own cheeks, burying her face in the brunettes hair.

"Oh Max, you're my family now okay? You don't have to apologize, I understand."

"I love you Chloe." Max spoke against her collarbone, then raised up to kiss the blue-haired girl softly on the side of her head as they held tightly.

"I love you too, Max."

 _Don't cry Max, I've got you._

She gently rocked them for a few minutes while they silently comforted each other. This is how it goes, now. They needed to be there for one another, and Chloe was so grateful that Max had opened up to her. Seeing Max suffering in silence killed her inside. She wanted to be there for the girl as much as she could.

They pulled apart from the embrace, wiping tears from their faces. Max quietly got up, padded across the room and started to rummage through a kitchen drawer in search of something, so Chloe followed her to see what she was doing.

"What are you looking for?" She asked.

"I uh…think I've almost… yes! Got it!" Max stepped back with a small roll of tape and walked back across the room as Chloe's eyes followed her with curiosity. The brunette picked up the photo from the couch, turned to the wall beside it and taped the picture right to the middle of the space.

"Uh?"

Max turned around and grinned at the tall girl, grabbing her hand as she looked up into Chloe's eyes. An electric buzz shot through Chloe at the sight of that grin.

 _Fuck, that smile!_

Chloe's heart warmed and she was smiled back. Max pulled an arm around Chloe's waist and gestured to the whole wall with her free hand. Where Max was touching her Chloe felt a tingling.

"This is going to be our new wall of memories. Starting today. We have a new life ahead of us and this is going to be where we put it all." Max explained.

Chloe couldn't help but stare down at the other girl with wide-eyed wonder.

"Really, Max?"

"Yes, really." The brunette squeezed Chloe's side. Chloe wrapped her arms around her with a sense of pride and adoration. Seeing Max with a sense of hope in her, oh, it was enough to make Chloe melt inside.

"Okay Max… let's do this."

She couldn't help herself when she leaned down to kiss the top of Max's head. The small girl just nestled her head into her chest and hummed contently in response.

Chloe realized that this was what _home_ felt like, too.


	3. Chapter 3: A Good Day

Morning was already peeking through the curtains when Max opened her eyes. Squinting for a second, she adjusted to the brightness and felt momentary surprise.

 _Did I sleep through the entire night for once?_

Shuffling slightly under the duvet covers, she could feel Chloe's arm draped over her waist, the tall girl's body spooning her close. The room temperature was freezing, but next to her Max felt perfectly warm and cozy. It brought a smile to her face that she could hear Chloe breath softly against the back of her neck, the lightest of snores from behind. They were in their own little nest on the bed, and Max felt nothing in that moment but content and security. She closed her eyes and sighed, wanting to savour the peacefulness while she could.

 _Just live in the now before the world comes crashing down again, Max._

Ever so carefully Max lifted the arm around her waist and rolled over so that she could face the other girl. Chloe's face was mere inches from her own, her facial features relaxed and restful.

 _She's so beautiful._

Max marveled her best friend. Watching Chloe sleep was like a treasure for Max, and seeing the girl in such a peaceful state was rare and special. Eyes drifted around the girl's features, noting the dark circles under her eyes, her pale complexion.

 _Chloe's suffered as much as I have. She's just stronger than I am, most of the time.  
_  
Max knew that part of the reason why Chloe also appeared permanently run-down was because she was busy being a guardian angel in the night. Nightmares that racked Max's nights would always keep Chloe up too, yet she always insisted staying close to Max as much as she could. When Max finds herself awake and screaming, or crying, or fighting invisible horrors, Chloe's arms are always there and ready. Holding her tight, protecting her, comforting the brunette by whispering soothing assurances to her until she eventually calmed.

Max didn't know how Chloe could do it every night without fail.

 _I don't think I could live without you, Chloe._

 _You don't know how grateful I am._

Max lost any sense of time as she watched Chloe sleep. She didn't feel creepy at all staring at her best friend. She just couldn't help the awe and adoration she felt for the girl in front of her; the girl who happened to be the one good thing in her life right now. The thought occurred to her that Chloe may have slept through the night if Max didn't have a nightmare.

 _Good. She deserves rest._

Slowly she lifted her gaze away and rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. Another thought popped into her mind as she exhaled and watched the mist from her breath appear above her. Not that they usually kept track of the days anymore but, Max realized with wide-eyed wonder, it was December 24th.

Christmas Eve.

A few more minutes passed before she came to the conclusion that she was definitely not going to fall back asleep and Chloe wasn't waking up any time soon. So she decided the next best thing to do would be to put on some clothes and get cozy in the lounge with a cup of coffee. Careful not to jostle the sleeping girl in the slightest she shuffled off the end of the bed, shivering once she left the warmth of the covers.

 _For the love of dog, it's freezing!  
_  
As quickly as Max could she scooped up the cleanest clothes she could find and sneaked into the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Max shut the door behind her and reached up to pull the string of the little fan heater above the doorway, basking in the warmth it blew from it once it turned on. It definitely made stripping down and pulling on her jeans and hoodie _so_ much easier when she didn't have to deal with the frigid winter air.

The bathroom was modest and small, much like the rest of their apartment. It had a shower with a thin grey curtain, a toilet, and an worn white vanity with a small circular mirror above the sink that allowed Max to see herself just from the shoulders up. At her height, anyway - Chloe usually had to bend down to see herself better. Once dressed, she splashed her face with water in an attempt to wake herself up. Always in a state of exhaustion, Max looked about as zombie-fied as she felt. However today she felt a bit more rested than normal, which could be considered an improvement. She cupped her hands under the trickling faucet and splashed, warm droplets streaked down her features, and repeated twice before reaching for a towel and dabbing herself dry.

 _Better. Feeling a bit more human now._

Next in line on her agenda was coffee. Only instant, because neither of them could afford anything better, and as the kettle rumbled and boiled, Max leaned against the bench that separated the small lounge from the kitchenette and observed her surroundings.

There wasn't much to look at.

When they were looking for a place they only wanted somewhere cheap that provided a roof over their heads and a bed to sleep in. The weeks of staying in random towns and campgrounds with whatever accommodation they could find (which mostly meant Chloe's beat up truck to save cash) had added to the toll of the burdens they already carried, and an exhausted Chloe had pulled Max aside in early December to point out that they couldn't just continue life that way. They were paying with cash from a stolen 'handicap fund' from Arcadia Bay (a heist originally meant to get Chloe out of debt with a dangerous drug dealer), and it was their only means of living after finding themselves refugees from a freak storm. So they had chosen the closest town at the time that was isolated enough, far from Arcadia Bay, with maybe some promise of temporary life of normalcy held within its borders. That's how they had stumbled across the humble mountain town of Fork River, and now found home in old block apartments nestled among trees. The bonus was that it came with some furnishings and there wasn't much convincing needed for Chloe to hand over the cash and sign a short-term lease so that they could have a bed to themselves.

Even just for a short while.

There was very little in terms of belongings between the two girls. The storm that brought Arcadia Bay to its ruin had ensured that both Chloe and Max were left with whatever they had on them at the time they had kept their distance, observing the destruction from the cliffs. A stroke of luck also meant that despite Chloe's truck being parked at the beach it had also survived the devastation. Max wasn't all entirely surprised; the thing was a beast made of steel. They had the clothes on their back, the contents of Max's messenger bag, and whatever was strewn around the truck. Thankfully this included their ID's and the stolen money, which meant they could at least book into the occasional motel and thriftshop for some clothing. When they had moved into the apartment, Chloe had gone out to pick up a meager amount of groceries, a few toiletries, and found some cheap bedding bundles at a second-hand shop in the town.

 _I have to give Chloe props, she's always the practical thinker._

While Max poured hot water and stirred her coffee she remembered the lamp she'd knocked over the week before. She had picked it up and thankfully the only thing broken was the bulb, the shards of glass carefully swept up off the hardwood floor.

 _It came with the apartment. I really should get a replacement, so Chloe doesn't have to.  
_  
She took a sip of her beverage and sighed contently, the warmth seeping through her body felt like a kindness to her weary soul. She padded over to the window next to the couch and took another sip, leaning against the windowsill while pulling a blind down to see outside. Snow covered every inch of ground and she could spot a man heavily clad in winter clothing shoveling snow from the apartment drive, assuming it was one of the maintenance staff. It was overcast, yet nothing was falling from the sky. Max smiled at the thought of Chloe's truck beneath a mountain in snow in the carpark.

No sounds of activity could be heard from beyond the bedroom doorway across the room. A small, aged clock hung on the wall above a radiator, reading quarter past nine. Normally Chloe would be awake by now, not always one for lengthy periods of sleep these days, but the fact she was still asleep was fine by Max. Thinking about Chloe reminded her that during the past week the older girl had asked, close to pleading, if Max would promise to eat more and try to look after herself. She had confessed to Max her concerns hesitantly, while both girls had been sitting on the couch sipping coffee underneath a blanket, blurting it out of the blue, albeit gently.

Of course, Max couldn't say no to her, and she couldn't deny it any longer. She had seen her reflection recently and had to admit she knew that her weight was not at its healthiest, and the pleading look in the blue-haired girl's eyes had caused Max's heart to ache a little.

On that thought, Max rose and searched the kitchen for something to eat, only to come up short.

 _No cereal, just some canned food? And coffee._

Coffee is not food though, Max.

Not even an apple – damn, even the fridge is looking pretty sad. Maybe I should pop out and get something?

 _Actually, that's not a bad idea. I could let Chloe have a sleep in and I think some fresh air could be good for me._

She tip-toed back into the bedroom and quietly rummaged around for her messenger bag, her converse shoes, and grabbed some cash from Chloe's wallet laying on the floor. Chloe still didn't stir and Max smiled at the cocoon of blankets in the middle of their bed. As she made her back out again she spotted Chloe's black beanie on the floor. Considering the weather outside, Max decided it would probably be a good idea to borrow it. She reckoned that Chloe wasn't going to need it any time soon, so she threw it on and made her way to the kitchenette.

" _Chloe,  
I've just gone out for a walk to get some food from in town. Please don't worry. I grabbed some cash, stole your beanie, and I'll see you soon. _

_XoMaxo"_

The note was left the note on the counter in plain sight, as Max knew full well the last time she'd left the apartment Chloe had a panicked when she woke to find Max not only gone but crying outside in the snow. Leaving a message behind was the least she could do. The both of them rarely spent any time apart and normally letting one another out of each other's sight caused some unease. Grabbing the key from the rack, she threw on her jacket and went out the front door, hoping perhaps that her intended walk will give Chloe a chance to rest without disruption.

"Oof." Max uttered, emerging into the bitter air, a shiver running up and down her spine. Borrowing the beanie was a good idea.

Involuntarily she hunched in on herself, staring down at her feet as she made her way down the staircase. She was so preoccupied in her thoughts of the cold that she barely noticed the woman leaving the apartment below, almost running into the elderly lady by accident. Max jumped back in surprise and the woman turned to her with an equal look of shock.

"Oh! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Max apologized as the woman placed a hand to her chest and smile.

"You're quite alright, dear," The woman laughed, "No need to worry!"

Max relaxed a little as she took her neighbor's appearance in. The woman was old enough to Max's grandmother's age, with graying hair and a wide smile that caused her face to ripple with wrinkles. She was wearing a large woolen dark purple coat and and pants that matched, black snow-boots, and was rugged up with a long, white knitted scarf. Max returned her smile with a sheepish one of her own.

The lady extended a friendly gloved hand to shake hands and she obliged.

"Are you new around here?" She asked Max.

"Uh, yes. I am. I live in the apartment upstairs." Max replied shyly.

"Oh, I haven't seen you around yet! You must have moved in recently. I know most of the residents around here, although most aren't the type of people I'd get along with. I'm surprised you're so young!" She chuckled. Max was definitely reminded of grandmotherly presence by the way this woman spoke.

"Yeah, I haven't met any of the neighbours here yet. I uh, just live with my best friend. We've only been here a week."

"Oh that'd explain that then. What's your name sweetie? I'm Ms. Dawkins, but I prefer Shelly." She grinned. Max could feel herself becoming more and more comfortable with her neighbor by the second.

"I'm Max. Max Caulfield. It's nice to meet you Shelly."

"You too, dear. Are you off somewhere in town?" Shelly asked her.

"Uh, yes. I'm going to the shops to get some groceries. Kinda low on food, and I guess they'll be closed tomorrow…" She kind of trailed off. Having normal conversation was a bit awkward for Max now, she felt out of practice, but Shelly seemed overwhelmingly trustworthy.

"You know, I was just locking up the place to go get some baking supplies from the shops as well." Shelly smiled sweetly at Max, "You seem like a lovely young lady, would you like to keep me company? I could show you the way."

The younger girl only needed to think about it for a second before deciding that it might actually do her some good to be with someone as kind as this lady.

"I would like that, actually." She took the older woman up on her offer, "I'm not in a rush today. It's Christmas Eve."

 _It couldn't hurt, could it?_

 _She seems...really nice._

"Oh good! Give me a second to find my keys then we'll get going." Shelly rummaged through her handbag, before pulling out a set of keys and locking up the place. Max wondered if the woman lived on her own in the apartments, it didn't seem like the nicest place to live, but then again she hadn't been there for very long herself.

"Righto. Let's go." Shelly lead.

They walked down snow-paved streets and Max found herself enjoying the older woman's company. Her neighbor was a good-natured, jolly kind of woman, and Max was finding herself smile at the little jokes Shelly was making. Passing buildings and places, Shelly was giving the brunette a guide of the small town of Fork River. It turned out she had lived there majority of her life so she knew the history and the people well.

It made Max feel slightly more welcomed than she ever thought she could be. Even when Shelly asked Max about herself and her life, she didn't feel uncomfortable bringing up details about herself. The woman was endearingly kind.

"Now dear, what about yourself? Where are you from?" Shelly asked her as they made a left turn at a park, closer to the shops now.

"Uh, my parents and I were mostly living in Seattle the past 5 years, but I was born in a place called Arcadia Bay. It's in Oregon." She was surprised that the memory wasn't bringing any emotions up for her saying this, even though Shelly was the first person she'd had a conversation with besides Chloe since leaving.

"Oh, Oregon? I've been through Oregon plenty in my lifetime but I can't say I've heard of a place called Arcadia Bay." She noted.

Max didn't add anything else, so Shelly prompted her with another question.

"What brings you to Fork River? This isn't the kind of place a girl from Oregon or Seattle would come north to find themselves." Shelly said matter-of-factly.

"Hmm, yeah. Well my best friend and I, we…" Max shortly hesitated, then concluded that Shelly might be the right type of person to talk to about this kind of thing. "Well. We were living in Arcadia Bay a few months ago, I was going to school there. There was a natural disaster – uh, a…tornado hit the town. We had to leave."

 _Not sure 'natural' is the word to describe it, but I don't feel like going into detail._

Shelly placed a reassuring hand on Max's arm, and the girl realized her expression must have given her internal struggle away.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Max. That sounds dreadful. Are you okay, are your folks okay?" The woman looked at her with concern and warmth in her features. Max exhaled a little, and allowed herself to relax. She didn't want to say much more to worry the woman, there was enough angst inside Max for the world.

"Yes, my parents are okay. I'm okay. My best friend and I just had to get away, and I guess when we found Fork River it just seemed like a nice place to be for awhile. Away from everything..." Max changed the conversation. The older woman regarded her with what seemed to be understanding in her gaze.

"Hmm, I think you'll find this town can be quite beautiful. Especially in the wintertime. The community here is very tight-knit, you know. I've always loved it here." She mused.

Max nodded in agreement, looking down the street. All the buildings were older and wooden, a variety of stores here and there. Christmas lights hung above store fronts, and decorations were all over the place. It did indeed seem like a beautiful place to be at Christmastime. Inviting and pretty.

"I really like all the decorations here, it's nice." Max stated. The woman laughed in agreement.

Inspiration overcome Max and she had an urge to reach into her messenger bag and pull out her camera. She halted, and Shelly turned to watch her as the Polaroid camera emerged in her hands.

"Well, now that's an old-fashioned camera!"

"Yes, I just can't help it. I'm a bit of a photographer… and these lights are so pretty." Another sheepish smile reached the girl's face. Then another idea came to mind.

"Actually, would you mind if I took a photo of you? I'm sorry if that sounds weird – I just think it would be really nice." She felt shy to ask, but was instantly reassured by the older woman's large smile.

"That's so- so lovely of you! I would be honored to be photographed by such a wonderful young woman, Max!"

Max couldn't help but feel kind of proud as she raised her camera and framed her shot through the viewfinder. Steadying her hands she snapped the photograph, and the camera clicked and whirred as the film processed. With one hand she caught the photograph as it ejected from the camera and approached Shelly as it developed.

The older woman gasped when it completed, and placed a hand on Max's shoulder again, joy in her voice.

"That's the best darn photograph someone has taken of me in years! You have a real talent!"

Max blushed. A sensation she had not felt in a while.

"Oh, uh, thank you," Max ducked her head slightly, humbled by the praise. "W-would you like to have it? Merry Christmas?" Max asked.

Shelly beamed at her question.

"I would love to. You have just made a lonely woman's day, young girl. Thank you very much."

Max couldn't stop smiling as they walked into the grocery store together, chatting away about Polaroid photography and her dreams of once becoming a photographer. The store wasn't very spacious, and it had a kind of a rustic charm to it, but it wasn't unlike other grocery shops she had been in before. Shelly greeted the store clerk by name as they walked inside, introducing the brunette while she took it in.

"Johnathon, I'd like you to meet my neighbor Max. She's new to town."

Johnathon, a rather tall man with graying hair who looked to be in his mid-forties, smiled in a welcoming manner.

"Oh, hey Max. It's nice to meet you. Welcome to town, and Merry Christmas."

"Thanks," She replied. "Merry Christmas to you, too."

 _Is everyone in this town this friendly?_

Today was turning out to be surprisingly nice, all things considered.

"If you need any help with anything just let me know." He added. Max nodded and wandered to the door to pick up a basket, noting that Shelly was already pottering around the shelves among baking ingredients.

Max filled up her basket with various foods, trying to put some thought into what Chloe would like. She wasn't entirely sure so she grabbed some staples. Bread, eggs, milk, cheap cornflakes. She was contemplating picking through the sales bin when another thought came to mind.

 _Would Chloe like something special for Christmas?_

What are we even doing tomorrow?

The thought threw Max off for a moment. Thinking about something as festive as Christmas felt _so_ surreal. Yet, it felt kind of wrong not to consider doing something. It was safe to say she felt fairly conflicted.

 _Maybe there's a bakery around here?_

Maybe we could just share cake or something?

Fuck it, I dunno.

She grabbed some multi-packets of ramen, a box of cookies, then moved to the refrigerated section.

 _I've spent every single Christmas with my parents, and this is Chloe's first Christmas without her mother._

A shock of pain went through her chest and she winced. She tried to push her emotions back down again, it wasn't a topic she liked to think of, and crying in the middle of a store with company was not something she wanted to go through right then.

 _Yep, push it down Max. 'Cause that's healthy. Stay strong._

Putting on a brave face she made her way to the counter where Shelly and Johnathon were making conversation. She tried her best not to let on that she was experiencing a bit of an emotional crisis. Johnathon turned to help her unload her small basket and began ringing up the items, and Shelly turned to Max.

"Now dear, as a good neighbor I have to ask. What are you and your friend doing for Christmas?"

Her question was definitely loaded but was filled with warm concern.

"We… don't have any plans." Max quietly admitted. "We were just going to spend it on our own, I guess. It's not a big deal."

She pulled out some cash from her pockets and counted out enough to meet the number on the till then passed it over to the clerk.

"Well young Max, I want to let you know that you are more than welcome to come by and spend the afternoon with me. You and your friend don't have to, but I would love to see you if you should. I hate to think of you girls by yourselves after what you've been through. And I'm only a door away."

Max blinked a few times to hold back a few unexpected tears at the kindness of the gesture. It took her a moment to gather her wits in order to respond to the woman watching her expectantly.

"Th-that sounds wonderful. I –I'll have to ask Chloe what she would want, but I would truly love to come by. Thank you."

Her neighbor grinned toothily, a thousand crow's feet around fanning from her eyes.

"Good, Max. Now I've got to run to the pharmacy but thanks for keeping this old hag company. Just knock on the door anytime." She took Max's hands in her own and gave them a quick squeeze, before shuffling out the door with her bag and waving her and Johnathon goodbye.

"Bye!" She waved back.

"Ah, she's a sweetheart, Ms. Dawkins." Johnathon stated cheerfully. He handed Max her bagged groceries and she thanked him, leaving out the door to walk down the street.

She thought about Shelly's proposal as she gazed through all the shop windows she was passing by.

 _Maybe we actually could do something kind of... normal for Christmas? Surely it couldn't hurt. She's nice enough, and she probably just wants some company. We probably need some company besides our own as well. It might clear our heads, or at least...distract us. Or would it bring up some memories? Am I overthinking this?_

Max, don't we deserve some good moments lately?

Her thoughts flickered to a flashback of the doe she saw last week.

 _Yeah… maybe we do deserve some good moments. Chloe deserves something a bit better than just spending Christmas holed up only with me._

Another thing came to mind.

 _Oh…should I get Chloe something? A present?  
_

Just as soon as she thought that, Max stumbled across a shop entrance with the words "SECOND-HAND HEAVEN" painted on the glass. Windows were filled with trinkets and random items. A sense of inspiration came to Max, so she decided to push through the doorway and enter inside.

A wall of warmth hit her the moment she entered and closed the door after her. It felt _wonderful_ to be out of the cold, the soft crackling of an open log fire to her right added to the ambiance.

She smiled and took in her surroundings. The store was filled from floor to ceiling with a diverse variety of items. Books lined the back wall, antiques of sorts sat on shelves, clothes racks hung all types of garments. Handmade crafts and beautiful gifts sat upon shelves, collections of rustic and traditional artworks adorned the walls. Second-hand heaven was right, the store was an eclectic mix of thrift and art.

 _Wowser!_ It was practically the best fitting word she could come up with. _This is really neat! And totally my kind of place._

An elderly man smiled and waved in greeting at her from across a counter on the other end of the store. He had tanned, weathered skin and a rather outdoorsy look to him, a toothy grin appearing through his beard. He seemed to be laughing at Max's expression which, to be fair, must have been pretty amusing. She felt like her jaw had dropped to the floor. The store was so _hipster_ , it could have had her name written all over it and she wouldn't have blinked.

"Hi there young lady, what brings you here?" He asked with a light chuckle as she approached.

"Oh." She managed, half distracted. "Um. I guess I'm just looking around. I'm new here."

"Ahhh…" He agreed, cheerfully. "Well have a look around, we've got a bit of anything and everything."

"Thanks, I will do." Max said and began to explore. Her curiosity was taking over and she ran her fingers over trinkets and books, reading their spines and stopping to pull a few out to flick through. She always was a book nerd.

Being somewhere with an open fire while there was snow outside brought some momentary calm to Max's heart. It was nostalgic in a good sense. She really did feel like she was having a good day. In fact, this might turn out to be the best day she's had... in a while.

She paused her train of thought when she turned a corner to find a glass case full of old cameras, an expression of wonder flashing across her face.

"Those things were really popular when I was your age." The man came up behind Max as she inspected one of the aged cameras in her hands. She placed it carefully back on the shelf and turned to him.

"They're really cool, I learned all about them in high school."

"A budding photographer, are you?" He prompted. She half shrugged.

"I guess I just like it now, as a hobby." Vague felt the best way to go. Max didn't think _career_ was really an option for her any longer. He nodded understandingly, and smiled.

"Same here. I used a camera just like that one and I loved taking photographs. Of course, they took a lot longer to be made back in those days."

"That's true. I prefer analogue to digital, though. But that's just me."

"Old-fashioned are you? Same here, missy. Same here."

He shuffled back over to the counter and Max took the opportunity to keep looking around.

 _Hmmm... Maybe there's something in here I could get for Chloe._

I don't even know what… Probably should be saving our money.

Aimlessly she made her way to stand in front of the fireplace, allowing herself a few minutes of enjoying the warmth against her back. She wished there the apartment had one for Chloe and her to enjoy. It would be a lot better than the angry little radiator that struggled to keep their place warm. In Max's mind fireplaces are essential for the soul in a home.

 _I wonder if Chloe is awake yet, I should probably be heading off soon._

Max was almost convinced she was done in the store when she eyed a shelf with hand-carved animal key-chains. She walked over and picked up the first one that caught her eye. It was a little doe that looked eerily familiar.

 _You're always there right when I need you, little one.  
_  
"I see you've found my creations!" The old man called out from behind his desk.

"You did these? They're amazing!" Max praised, reaching up to pick up another one. This time it was a bull with beautiful big horns. It was made from dark stained wood, but on the sides of the bull there were intricate patterns of blue feathers. The bright blue dye reminded Max exactly of Chloe's hair. It was a beautiful piece of work.

Max decided that whatever it was worth, she wanted to get for Chloe's Christmas present. It just felt _right,_ and she thought that something small but beautiful might be the thing to go for.

At the counter she placed the little wooden bull down and went to pull the money out of her pocket.

"How much is it?" She asked the man.

"It's free." He stated simply.

"What? No-"

"Merry Christmas." He grinned. Max's shocked expression elicited a small chuckle from the old man.

"No, no- I can't. It's too nice, and you made it." Max stammered.

"You're the only person whose come in today and you appreciated my artwork. It's Christmas, young lady. I think you should have it."

She blinked a few times in awe. "Thank you…" Another warm blush came over her cheeks.

 _Man, what is up with today?_

"You're welcome. And welcome to Fork River. Feel free to stop by any time, and then maybe we can talk about photography?"

"That's so kind of you. Seriously."

She carefully placed the key-chain into her pocket where it would be safe, and smiled back at the man.

"Thank you so much. I hope you have a very lovely Christmas." Max told him and left the store with a complete sense of bewilderment.

 _I really hope Chloe likes this! Man this has been such a weird...but lovely day._

 _I actually can't wait to tell her about it, minus the present of course. I actually feel really good right now._

Walking up along the street she had come from to get to town Max realized the only thing she had consumed that morning was coffee, and now she was feeling _hungry._ Bags in hand she trudged back up the hill to their apartment block, hoping that the blue-haired punk would be waiting for her. Max wanted to tell Chloe all about her morning. Her _good_ morning. They had been very open about sharing each other's lives that past week and the more she opened up to Chloe, the better she felt sometimes. This was definitely one of those things she wanted to share with her best friend.

Fifteen minutes later the brunette was outside her apartment door, placing bags down and fumbling to find the key in her jacket pocket . She almost had them when the door flew open anyway.

A wide-eyed Chloe stood in front of her, looking Max up and down as if in search of something. Seeing her standing there in sweatpants and tank, Max took in the tattoo and the blue hair and bright eyes. Despite the look of concern etched in the taller girl's face, Max couldn't help but find her _beautiful,_ instantly filled with a glow of happiness at the sight of her.

"Chloe!" Max broke out into a smile and tackled the girl into a joyful hug.

"Woah! Woah, Max!" Chloe was startled but didn't hesitate to return the embrace.

"Sorry!" Max stood back and grinned. It must have been infectious because Chloe smiled back, with a touch of surprise in her features.

"Ha- what? What's going on? You're in a good mood." She stated curiously.

"Yeah…"

Swaying a little on the spot, Max pulled the taller girl in for another, yet more gentle hug. "Are you hungry? I wanna tell you about my morning."


	4. Chapter 4: Way deep, Price

Wild fingers ran through streaks of unwashed blue hair as Chloe paced back and forth in front of the apartment window, every few seconds glancing out to the footpath below. She was in a state of anxiety and needed to calm herself down, but she couldn't help it. Worry seemed to be what occupied most of her time these days because of Max, or rather worrying _about_ the girl was what occupied her time.

She paused in her tracks and sighed.

"C'mon Chloe," She uttered to herself. "Max is fine! Just chill the fuck out and she'll be home soon enough."

Flopping back onto the couch she looked up to the wall beside her where three Polaroid pictures were taped next to one another. A week ago, Max had experienced something that Chloe couldn't explain, but for whatever cosmic reason it had brought a moment of awakening to them both.

 _If that's what you could call it._

Max had reassured her that she was going to make an effort to start putting back the pieces of their lives together again. A small promise, considering the hell-storm they had been experiencing for the past few months, to at least _try_ and find new and good moments to hold on to.

Chloe had noticed a change in Max over the past week. They were broken girls. _Broken._ That's what Chloe knew, and she knew it because they'd been dragging themselves across states to escape the horror of their past, haunted by it all, accompanied by anxiety and nightmares… They'd lost everything, and the cost of being together had been the total destruction of their lives.

In Chloe's mind it appeared to have cost Max part of her _soul._ She had watched the girl become a shell of her once dorky, bubbly, sweet self; replaced by a scared, tired and lost version of Max Caulfield. Yet, for whatever reason, Chloe had started to see a glimmer of _hope_ in the small girl's eyes again. A few more smiles during the day, an effort to eat more when Chloe encouraged. It was beginning to give herself a little hope, too.

They had barely spent any time apart, save when Chloe would pull herself together to get food and supplies and whatever the hell they needed to get by. Max usually stayed home. She had seemed afraid of people lately, overcome with social anxiety. Or rather Chloe had noticed that maybe Max was afraid of _hurting_ people by the way the brunette would talk about not wanting to 'do any more damage'. Chloe hated that idea. Max never intentionally hurt people; she didn't believe it and she didn't want Max to believe it either. Yet whenever Chloe had asked her if she'd like to come to the shops with her, Max would stay home and curl up on the couch instead. Which was why Chloe was anxious after reading the note left on the counter that said the smaller girl had popped out for a walk to get food.

"Gah!" Chloe huffed, and threw another glance out the window to see if she could spot the small girl. Still no Max on the horizon.

 _It's nearly noon, where is this girl?_

Chloe had slept in. She must have been seriously exhausted last night because the last thing she remembered was snuggling up to Max, listening to the small girl's chest rising and lowering until she drifted off. Next thing she's aware of is that it's well into the morning, the clock on the wall says it's eleven, and Max isn't around. She'd nearly freaked again, scared to find the girl having visions or nightmares or _something,_ but instead had found a friendly little note from her best friend promising she'd be home soon. But when was soon? Chloe hadn't even noticed the girl getting out of bed.

She needed a distraction. It was supposed to be a good thing that Max had the guts to leave the apartment on her own. Progress, right? So why was she so freaked? Max wouldn't lie to her.

Her body instantly craved for a cigarette. Of course she naturally wanted one to calm herself like she had done for years. Except for the fact that once the storm had passed, Chloe hadn't wanted to pick up a smoke again. It felt so _wrong._ Her mother had hated her smoking habit (even though she had hated her drug use more), David had always given her crap about it and…her father? She knew her biological father would have been disappointed in her.

 _Now they're all dead._

Gone. Yet, Chloe was alive. Tornado or no tornado, Max had gone through _hell_ and back tearing apart time and space just to save her life, and as a result Chloe was alive on Christmas Eve while her entire family were dead. _Fuck cigarettes._ Chloe had had enough of throwing her life away with reckless habits. She didn't want to carry on with what precious time she still had left slowly poisoning herself with nicotine anyway. She wanted to do right by those she'd lost, and by Max whom she still had.

" _Max, Max, Max…"_

She aimlessly breathed through clenched teeth while staring at the ceiling trying to think of anything else but her dead parental figures. She thought about them enough every night holding onto Max. Max, her best friend. Or rather, 'Max, _more_ than best friend'. The best friend that wasn't, then was, then became _everything_ in Chloe's life. Max, her life-saver. Max, a time-goddess, or _something._ Supernatural. Divine-being? No, Chloe knew that Max was just as human as she was. If Max was a god, she wouldn't be so crushed by the weight of the world. Chloe knew her. She was every bit of Max as that thirteen-year-old girl in her memories was. Kind, caring, loyal, and oh-so flawed. She was just a girl who had superpowers, powers she never even asked for, and powers that had turned her life upside down and to ruin. Chloe could barely wrap her head around it sometimes. Nevertheless, here she was, and here they were.

The truth of the matter was that despite everything they had gone through, Max was and truly is her best friend. Even if there was _something more_ between them. What they had gone through? They were bonded for life, and Chloe was going to stick by Max for the rest of hers. Max had _saved_ her, in more ways than one. She'd given Chloe a second chance. But also, she brought out the best side in Chloe. She had to admit it. Even her mother had known Max being in her life was good for her.

Max had come back into her life exactly the right moment she had needed her and had undone the past five years of radio-silence. Whatever the reason, fate had twisted that reality, and Max Caulfield had prevented the murder of Chloe Price. In Chloe's mind, it was like the universe had redeemed the past in an instant. And Chloe could not help but be grateful to the eighteen year old girl who'd shown up out of the blue and stuck by her side every moment since.

" _She was my angel,"_ Chloe had once told Max about Rachel Amber, her former best friend. Rachel, who had been there and given her someone to believe in when she'd also needed someone most. Rachel, who'd shown Chloe that there was a little more to live for, who had taught the girl confidence and had Chloe's back. Rachel, had disappeared without a trace for several months, leaving behind a hollow, lonely, scared Chloe. Rachel, who Max had helped Chloe dig up in a shallow-grave of the junkyard back in the death-pit of Arcadia Bay.

It seemed hard to believe that fate didn't have a say in her life considering the day Chloe wanted to escape from Arcadia Bay via desperate and drastic measures was the day Max had appeared in front of her truck at Blackwell Academy. After Max had saved her own life, no less. Was it supposed to mean something that out of anyone in the entire universe, the one other person in that bathroom that day just happened to be Chloe's childhood best friend.

The whole time-traveling thing was _still_ a mind-fuck on its own!

In that one week of October, Max had done the impossible countless times. Not only saving Chloe but actually bringing her back from the dead, discovering the most insane secrets about her family and solving the disappearance of one of the most important people in Chloe's life, stood up to her step-father over his abuse towards her, brought down the psycho-killer who had _kidnapped and tortured her_ , but _still_ had gone above and beyond to make sure the both of them survived on the cliff together.

Max Caulfield is without a doubt the most incredible person Chloe has ever known. The bravest, the strongest, the kindest and most loving girl on the face of the planet - and she couldn't quite believe Max was real. She'd stood up for Chloe, been there for her in so many ways, but also in the simplest just by being a true friend...by being herself. She'd joined Chloe on her hunt for her former best friend and love without a question, just because it was important to her. She'd trusted her and agreed to her harebrained and dangerous schemes, even though they had put her life in danger, but had fought for Chloe regardless.

At Chloe's loneliest and lowest point of her existence Max had appeared to show her the most love, understanding and teaching more than anyone else ever had. And she had done so by changing the very fabric of _time._ Max had suffered to give everything she had for Chloe... and gave her hope in the truest sense. For the first time in five years she learned what true friendship really meant.

 _It's hard to imagine all of this insane crap wouldn't be for nothing...right? My life is so insane I wonder if its just me._

Max was the one person who would hold Chloe tight with such love and comfort while she broke down next to the decomposing body of the girl she once loved. The one person who stopped Chloe from going into a party on a night that would lead to her death and the torture of her best friend at the hands of a maniac, who traveled through a storm and through time to get back to her. Chloe wouldn't have needed to be convinced twice that it was worth it to carry her unconscious best friend up a hill, and she'd do it all over again if she had to.

By the ruins of a lighthouse Chloe had given Max a near-impossible decision to make in that place. If there was a possibility that allowing Chloe to die that Monday in the school bathroom would somehow prevent the storm from ever happening, she gave Max that option by handing over the photograph Chloe had kept on her all week. That polaroid of a butterfly Max had taken before either Nathan or Chloe had stepped into the bathroom. The polaroid that _could_ send Max back in time to change the course of events that week.

All it would have taken was for Chloe to die, in a reality where her and Max would have never reunited.

The moment had run through Chloe's mind on repeat ever since. " _I can't make that choice!_ " Max had cried on that cliff top. But that afternoon Max Caulfield did make a choice. She chose to tear the photograph in half. Max chose to set aside the opportunity to unravel that entire week in a chance a freak tornado may never appear. _Maxine Caulfield_ chose _Chloe Price._

 _Who else in the universe would choose... me?_

She had promised right then and there that she would always be there for her best friend. " _Forever."_ Max had promised back. Chloe knew that whatever destiny she held from that moment forth, it would be by this girl. This _fucking_ girl who had moved heaven and earth for her. This girl whom Chloe had loved deeply as a child, whom Chloe had missed and longed for during most of her years as a teenager, and who was now by her side trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered reality and put them back together again.

Chloe's feelings for Max ran so deep that she couldn't imagine a life without the girl any more.

 _This must be what true love means... right?_

When Chloe thought of Max her heart swelled with warmth. Max made her smile in moments when nothing else did. Late nights when Chloe couldn't sleep and her mind was overrun with fear or sorrow were when the smaller girl's warmth and closeness made Chloe feel safe again. If she had to she'd spend every night holding Max close and whispering soothing assurances until the nightmares subsided. Her heart ached to see Max suffer and break, when she was the most loving, kind and understanding girl she'd ever known. Her best friend had grown up into a young woman, from pirate to superhero, Chloe's partner in crime and time. Where would she be without her?

Probably buried in a cemetery next to her father, William Price.

" _Fuck."_ Chloe gasped, resting her head in her hands and sniffing, rubbing palms into her eyes. She'd been so far down the rabbit-hole of her thoughts that she had not even not noticed she was crying.

 _Way deep, Price._

Not that it could be helped. Not like her life wasn't dipped in heavy shit these days. Sitting upright again she sighed and stared out the window, emotions swirling wildly in her chest like a pool beneath a waterfall.

She loved Maxine Caulfield. It was undeniable. Max loved her back, indisputably so. However, her insecurities always made her wonder; Did Max love her, the way Chloe loved Max?

 _Selfish thing to wonder, Chloe. Max has bigger shit on her mind than her feelings for you. And she has already proven that she cares way more than she probably should._

Chloe knew she was _in love_ with the smaller brunette. The chaos of the world had shown her that truth. She had fallen in love with Max, and she was scared to do anything about it.

 _Max has so much to deal with. It doesn't matter whether she's in love with me or not, I've got to be there for her through this shit first.  
_  
Romance felt like a foreign concept at this point of time, and she chastised herself for letting her thoughts wander. A city had been destroyed, Max was broken, and Chloe was sitting here now thinking about her feelings for the girl.

 _Some best friend you are._

Her need for a distraction had grown to the point where Chloe couldn't stand it anymore. Huffing, she got up and made her way to the kitchen, where she hoped to find something to eat.

 _Damn Max, you weren't kidding, there's nothing here._ Chloe shut the door to the cabinet where three cans of beans and a bag of instant coffee were stored. The fridge proved just as unhelpful with only a small amount of milk, some butter and a few condiments left. Closing it, she stretched and looked back to the clock again. It was just past noon.

"Screw it, I can't wait! I've gotta go find that girl." Chloe decided, about to make her way into the bedroom to gather her things, when all of a sudden her attention was drawn to a rustling outside the front door. Curious, she trudged over to it, grabbed the door handle and threw the door open to reveal Max with bags in tow fumbling for the key.

The smaller girl's face broke out into a massive smile before she tackled the tall punk into a hug.

"Chloe!" She exclaimed with so much joy it caught her off-guard, losing her balance for a second.

"Woah! Woah, Max!" Chloe said, slightly bewildered. There was no way in hell she would not return that hug, though.

"Sorry!" Max was sheepish, and took a step back, and she couldn't help but melt in the face of the brunette's smile. She hardly saw that smile, and Chloe could barely contain her own. God, she wanted to reach out and capture that smile permanently.

"Ha- what? What's going on? You're in a good mood." She stated, wondering why Max seemed to be so happy. Had she been worrying about her for nothing? Of course, Max was fine to be on her own for a bit, she should have had a little more faith.

"Yeah…" Max was swaying, a bit playfully. Chloe noted how much brighter she appeared with a hint of joy to that tired complexion. When Max pulled her in again for a more gentle embrace, Chloe's chest swelled and she felt so precious in her arms. So right. She hummed a little.

"Are you hungry? I wanna tell you about my morning?" Max spoke into Chloe's shoulder.

"Yeah," Chloe was suddenly aware of her own hunger, "yeah! Starving. Let's make something? What did you get us, SuperMax?"

Helping Max bring in the bags, Chloe eyed her best friend carefully as they unpacked together. Max didn't seem to be hiding anything in the moment, and Chloe knew she could normally read her like a book.

 _So... this really is a good thing?  
_  
The pair decided on cooking up a bit of a brunch-deal; eggs, toast and bacon. A cup of their (gross)instant coffee on the side it was a meal fit enough for them both. Opting to sit on the floor with their backs to the couch, they huddled around their little coffee table while Max filled Chloe in on her little morning adventures. It felt good to be doing something that felt so normal, cosied up under a blanket with the radiator going.

She listened attentively while Max rambled on about meeting a neighbor from down below; some old lady who apparently knew everyone and everything in town. Then about the grocery store clerk, and some old guy she'd talked to about photography in the second-hand shop where Chloe had bought necessities from. For Max's sake, and to ease Chloe's worries, it was good to hear Max speak about something positive. Chloe had been beginning to worry that nothing good was going to drift through the expanse of the smaller girl's mind again. Got to take the good moments as they come, she guessed.

 _Huh. Who knew nice things could still happen in this world after the dump the universe had unloaded on us? Damn. It's like you can see the weights that had lifted off her shoulder today. I wonder how long this is going to last?_

 _Good stuff never seems to last for us._

 _I'm just so fucking glad Max is talking to me about things again._

 _I'm really proud you, kiddo._

An hour or more later... Chloe's opinion about good things never lasting for the two of them proved itself true. Their apartment didn't have a television, and they didn't own computers any more, and both of their stereo systems lay under ruin somewhere on the Oregon coast. So to entertain themselves the two girls played games with a raggedy, cheap pack of cards Chloe had dug up from her truck. A memento from drinking games and adventures long in the punk girl's past.

"Chloe?" Max asked, the change of tone to her voice causing Chloe to tense a little. She had her attention immediately.

"Hmm?" Chloe tried not to appear too concerned as she prepared for what Max might bring up now. She kept her eyes low on her cards.

"It's…it's Christmas Eve." Stated Max in a small voice.

 _She's nervous.  
_  
Chloe took a moment to carefully craft her own tone in response, so as not to upset Max in any way.

"Yes? It's Christmas tomorrow." Chloe softly replied.

 _Ah, here it comes. Is she thinking about what I think she is?_

Max shifted uncomfortably on the spot, shuffling with her legs crossed on the floor. Chloe looked up at the girl with a poker face, trying to figure out what was going on in that head of hers. Whatever Max was heading with this it was making the girl shake, and she knew that Max was trying to be brave about it.

"Uh, I… Today reminded me that…I haven't talked to my parents yet. And... I need to. I can't let Christmas pass and just…" She paused for a moment to shakily inhale, "I need to talk to them, and I need your help Chloe."

"Oh."

Max's parents had been such a difficult and sensitive topic since the storm that Chloe had to admit she'd been too ' _chickenshit'_ to bring it up with Max the past few weeks. Not to say it wasn't on Chloe's mind, because she thought about it all the time, just that when she had pushed the topic before with the Max she would just... shut down and escape to whatever internal world lay behind those pained blue eyes.

The Caulfield's had _freaked_ when the storm decimated Arcadia Bay. Understandably. It was national and international news. Helicopters had flown in to film live reports as a state of emergency had been declared once news had spread that a tornado had appeared out of nowhere. Chloe could remember military vehicles passing them on the drive out while still in a haze of disbelief and running on pure adrenaline. Max's phone had blown up non-stop with calls and texts from her parents in Seattle, while Chloe's phone had been received only a few texts from out-of-state relatives and extended family.

Neither girl had the energy or wherewithal then to deal with any of that right away, and Chloe noticed that Max would hold the phone in her hands like something poisonous. At one point she could have sworn that the smaller girl muttered something about 'texts from the dead in a nightmare', but Max wasn't in a right state of mind at the time so Chloe didn't push her. They needed to just to get out of the bay.

It didn't take long for their phones to run flat and a few days passed before they eventually bought cheap chargers at a gas station. Chloe had called her relatives to let them know she was okay, but lied and told them she was staying up north with friends as rescue and recovery underwent in Arcadia. When Max turned her screen on, she'd missed dozens of frantic calls from her parents. Understandable given all they knew was that the city their daughter was meant to be in was razed to the ground, a death toll growing by the minute plastered all over international media. Chloe knew they would have been frightened and worried beyond belief, but she also knew that Max was fully aware of this. Max could barely read through a few messages before shaking and dropping her phone, struggling to cope. So Chloe had offered to text her parents for her before Max went distant and disappeared into her state of near-catatonia.

Their relief to hear their daughter was alive was immediate, almost as soon as Chloe had shot off a text from Max's phone the screen had lit up with incoming calls. Max didn't want to take them though, and Chloe could barely shake her to get a response out of the girl. The notifications grew, never ending, until finally Max couldn't take it any longer. When they had stopped for the night and Chloe had managed to get Max into a motel room, Max picked up her vibrating phone and threw it out the window before falling to her knees and hugging herself.

It had been one of the most heart-breaking moments of her life, for Chloe to see Max so scared and broken, so she carried the small girl in her arms to the bed and held her throughout the night.

In the morning Chloe had sneaked out to find Max's phone in garden (luckily unscathed from the bushes and still working), then brought it back to their room. Neither of them spoke that morning, but later that day Max rose from her trance in bed and grabbed the phone off the table. Chloe watched the girl warily reply to texts, her face emotionless and pale. For the next month or so Max barely replied to any messages, and never took any phone calls. She told Chloe that she couldn't handle dealing with anyone else in the world right then, that she just wanted her parents to leave her alone. She told them that she was an adult and just needed to get away, that she was safe, and if she needed them she would call them.

Chloe knew that as much as Max loved her parents the small girl was battling demons and carrying burdens as heavy as the world. The Caulfield's had turned to police for help at one point, but like Max had pointed out she was an adult and she hadn't just runaway. There was a battle here for Max that she was going to have to face sometime, so Chloe knew that if she wanted to call her parents now it wasn't going to be a small deal for anyone involved. It meant healing and coming to terms with some pretty heavy wounds, concepts Chloe could barely even begin to understand. In such a short amount of time Max Caulfield had learned the meaning of _hell_ better than anyone she ever knew, including herself.

Those glistening blue eyes look into Chloe's expectantly, waiting for an answer. Chloe could see the fear in Max and knew that she was mustering all her strength to ask, and could see her chest rising and falling rapidly. Max was a deer in headlights. Without hesitation, Chloe positioned herself next to the smaller girl and pulled her close in a warm embrace, one had lacing her fingers with Max's. Max nestled her face into Chloe's collarbone and let out a shaky sob.

"Yes, yes of _course_ I will help you, SuperMax. I'm going to be there for you every step of the way." Chloe reassured the crying girl.

"I'm the worst daughter in the world." Max whispered painfully.

"You're the only time-traveling daughter in the world. They love you Max, they've been waiting for you."

"They must hate me for ignoring them."

" _Never."_

Max went quiet for a few moments. Chloe could feel her hot breath through her hoodie.

"Max, I-…I'm so fucking proud of you. I am. It'll be tough, I know. But we'll face this next step together. And it's going to be okay. I believe in you Max. I _believe_ in you."

 _How could anyone know how to deal with this crap? We can only do the best that we can._

 _God, she's so fucking beautiful, what did Max ever do to deserve this? Why does the universe hate her so much?  
_  
She rocked the smaller girl with her gently for a few more moments.

"Thanks Chloe." She whispered, then straightened herself up so they could see each other's faces.

 _Oh man. She looks so fucking defeated already._

Chloe had to fight off a whimper of her own. Seeing Max like this was choking her up.

"I wanna tell them I'm sorry. For fucking up, for screwing up, for ignoring them, for being so scared. That's what today reminded me of. And..." She drew a few more breaths, then looked to Chloe with an expression the taller girl couldn't quite read. Max lowered her eyes and held herself with an arm around her waist, a coping mechanism Chloe had seen before.

"And?" Chloe gently prompted.

"…And I've got to do it for Joyce. I know your Mom would want me to."

Chloe was silent for a few seconds as she understood where Max was coming from. She pulled the girl in even closer protectively.

Chloe attempted to choke back tears as she spoke.

"Okay Max. I've got your back. Don't worry, we'll get through this. _Together_."


	5. Chapter 5: Reconnect

Max was trembling as she held her cellphone in her hands.

She stared intently at the black screen, completely still, her mind in another place. Chloe's warmth radiated close behind her, the two girls sitting on the couch together with Max pulled back onto the taller girl's lap. Chloe hadn't even asked -she just instinctively knew that what Max needed most was for her best friend's support- so she had wrapped her arms around the smaller girl from behind and guided her down on the couch with their legs intertwined and Max's back rested against Chloe's chest. Max felt safer this way, protected.

Her morning adventure with their apartment neighbor had stirred up feelings Max had been trying to suppress. Ms. Dawkins had been so lovely to her on their walk, and Max couldn't help but wonder about the woman who lived on her own.

 _Surely she has a family, but where are they?_ Max had thought before naturally reminding herself that she had been avoiding her own.

It had been on her mind while the two girls played cards, and Max had glanced at Chloe, with one hand in her pocket as she absentmindedly fiddled with the present she was hiding, and wondered if Chloe had been thinking about her own mother now that it was Christmas Eve. A pang of sorrow and guilt had shot through Max at the thought of Joyce being able to hear and see the two girls, and knew that if it were the other way round -that if it were Max who was orphaned while Chloe's mother and stepfather were alive- Joyce would do anything to reach out to her daughter to know if she was safe.

Max was acutely aware that Chloe wanted her to talk to her parents, too.

 _Now is the time to fess up, if any._ Max had admitted to herself before taking a breath and confessing to Chloe what was on her mind.

Now here the two girls found themselves, and Max brought herself back from reality with a shake of her head while her best friend held her patiently.

"I'm here Max, when you're ready." Gentle fingers wrapped around Max's wrists in an attempt to ease her shaking. Max sighed at the touch. She pressed the power button and let the phone start itself up.

 _Here goes…something._

Multiple notifications lit up the phone's screen and she let it just do its thing as it adjusted to being back in service _._

 _So many text messages, missed phone calls, voicemails…_

A minute or two later the phone finally settled down. Most of her messages were from her parents asking for updates and trying to get in contact. Guilt instantly overcome her and her trembling continued as she let out a long sigh.

 _C'mon Max! You can travel through time and have fought off friggin' serial killers, you can do this. It's just Mom and Dad. Quit being so chickenshit and call them, you owe it to them!_

She flicked through her contacts and let her thumb momentarily hover over the call-button for "Home". Chloe was silent but gave her a small, reassuring squeeze and she could feel her watching over her shoulder. Max pushed the call button, watched as the green ' _dialing'_ screen appeared, then selected ' _speakerphone on'_ so that Chloe would be able to hear everything and be part of the conversation. The dial-tone rang once before being answered on the other end.

A second's pause, "…Maxine?"

"Mom?"

"Oh my God… _Oh MY GOD!_ MAX!? Max is that you!?" Vanessa Caulfield called out for her. Max's eyes stung as the tears pooled up instantly. Hearing her mother's voice for the first time since October was far more emotional than Max could ever prepare herself for.

"It's me, Mom. I'm here." She replied, her voice small and raspy with emotion.

"Max! _Max!_ Oh my God, I can't believe it's you!" Her mother began to audibly cry as well on the other end. Max's throat felt sore as she tried to hold back sobs.

"Mom...," She eked out more softly through her tears. "...I miss you."

"Oh honey, oh. Oh, my child. Are you okay, where are you? Where are you sweetie? _We've been so scared."_

"I-I'm safe, Mom. I'm safe."

"Maxine, what's going on? I'm so- so relieved to hear your voice. I can't believe it. Where are you?"

"I'm sorry. I wish I hadn't made you worry... I'm somewhere up north, Mom. I'm safe, like I texted you. And I'm with Chloe, she's with me too and we're safe together."

"Are you okay? Do you need us to come get you?," Vanessa Caulfield rushed, "Max, your father and I have been so scared for you, ever since that storm… Max, can you please come home?"

Her mother's voice shook, and Max felt all her energy drain as sobs finally rolled up from her chest. She sagged back into Chloe and the taller girl pulled her in close, readily supporting her weight.

"I'm okay, I promise Mom. We both are. I'm so sorry," She apologized, "I know I have been horrible and…so, so bad at keeping in contact. But I'm okay with Chloe, I don't know if I can come home yet... I'm sorry." Max's voice cracked on those last two words.

" _Where have you been, Maxine?_ " Her mother's words stressed. "We've been trying to find you! Everywhere! We called the police; we called anyone who might have seen you two- Max! We want you to come home!"

"I- I can't Mom. N-not yet. I-"

"Please, _please_ come home darling. We need you here. We've been worried sick every day. Your father- He hasn't been sleeping and neither can I. We stay up late every night hoping you'll call us. That storm destroyed everything in Arcadia Bay and we could have lost our daughter. _Please."_

Max broke down fully listening to her mother's begging. It felt like the weight of her world was crashing down on her lungs and chest. She began coughing sobs, her breathing ragged and broken as she tried to inhale. Tears streamed down Max's cheeks, into her mouth, and drops splattered on her screen. Over her shoulder she could hear Chloe's breath grow ragged and broken as well, the tall girl refusing to lessen her grip on Max. She was exceedingly grateful that Chloe was there. She _needed_ her right now.

All of her pent up emotions were spilling out in that moment after months of bottling them up; her mother finally being the straw that broke the camel's back.

"I…can't." Max spoke between gasps of air. "I really can't Mom, I just can't."

"Why not?" Vanessa's question full of sorrow and concern.

" _Mom…"_ She struggled out. "E-everyone's… _everyone is dead."_ Max rasped, her voice barely a whisper.

"I _can't_ go home, b-because everyone is dead. Chloe's _mother_ and _stepfather_ are dead. My friends are _all dead._ I-" She took in a deep breath, "-I'm so sorry. I _fucked up._ I'm so sorry."

Max knew that her apology wasn't entirely just for her mother, but also for Chloe, whose own trembling was reverberating through Max's core. Chloe's chin moved and the next thing Max could feel was damp warmth against her skin as she nestled her face into Max's neck, hiding in her hair. Max raised one arm up beside her and placed a palm on Chloe's head in reassurance.

 _I'm here for you though, Chloe._

"Maxine…" Vanessa gently started, but Max interrupted her with a bit more strength to her voice.

"Mom, I need to say I'm sorry. For everything. For ignoring you and pushing you and Dad away... You guys mean the world to me, and I love you so much. I miss you so much. But…I can't go home. I just can't, not yet anyway. I'm not ready to."

"I…I lost everything in that storm Mom," she continued, "and I think I lost a bit of myself as well. _Everything_ I knew and loved in Arcadia Bay is gone, and I fucked up, I made some big mistakes. And now Chloe doesn't have a _mom_ any more. All she has is me. We lost our friends and it's all so fucking fucked up. I blame myself…"

She trailed off, taking a few moments to breathe and calm herself down. Her mother listened without interruption and when she spoke again it was with a gentleness that Max hadn't heard since she was a child.

"Max… Oh my beautiful Maxine. I _know_ this is hard. It's dreadful. Everything about that storm was awful. And I'm so, so sorry for everything, Maxine. You've lost so many dear people and have gone through so much suffering, and you're only _eighteen._ You have every right to feel as broken as you do, honey."

She silently let those words sink in. Realization crept in of just how much she had needed her mother's support after all this time; her parents had always been so supportive towards her. Why had she been so scared?

 _Because they won't know the truth._

 _They won't know that I could have stopped that storm. They don't know the reality of what I've been through. They never can._

 _And I hate lying to them...so much.  
_  
"It's not your fault, sweetheart," her mother continued as if she had read Max's mind, "You didn't cause any of that to happen. I'm so, so sorry for what happened to Chloe's mother and stepfather. She didn't deserve any of that, especially not after what happened to William."

A sob could be heard through the phone and Chloe stiffened by her sides. Max could only imagine what was going through Chloe's mind right then, listening to Max's very alive mother bringing up her very deceased parents.

"Sometimes things happen and they can't be explained, and tragedy strikes our lives and it's awful. But it's life, hun. I want you to listen to me, okay dear?"

"Okay." Max whispered.

"I don't blame you sweetheart. I can understand why you two girls have run away, I'm not entirely sure what I would do if I was in your place, but please, please don't blame yourself for anything that happened. All those people you lost, you will always remember, and they will be in your hearts forever. You need to know that your father and I love you very, very much- with all our hearts. And we are here for you and will be there for you every step of the way. You can't carry the burden of what you've been through all on your own, and we'll always support you. You're our daughter. _Always."_

Max was speechless. She silently cried for a minute, unable to think of a response, and from her mother's shaky breathing on the other end of her phone she could tell the feeling was mutual. Her hoodie shoulder grew damper by the second as Chloe's own silent tears continued.

The moment, Max felt, was a moment of release and healing as they all cried together. Oh how she needed her mother right then, her mom always knew what she needed to hear.

An odd sound crackled through the phone followed by a gasp, and Max realised that she could hear a door open in the background. She wondered who it was when her mother's voice picked up again, albeit slightly more distant, as if she had turned away from the mouthpiece of the phone. "Ryan- oh Ryan! _Max_ is on the phone!"

"Max?" Her father's surprised voice could be heard followed by urgent footsteps that grew louder and louder, until- "Maxine, are you there?"

"Dad!" She croaked back with joy. "Dad- it's good to hear your voice!"

"Are you okay? Is everything alright?" He repeated her mother's previous questions. Max started to smile again, wishing she could reach through the phone and hug him.

 _I've missed you so much, Dad._

"Yes! Yes... Dad, I love you okay?" She squeaked.

"I love you too, so much. I'm so glad to hear you are okay. Is Chloe there with you, is she safe? Are you guys still safe?"

"Uh huh." She replied, looking up to blink back more tears. Relief was beginning to wash through her body at that moment. She hadn't realized before what an impact this conversation was going to have on her. She decided to speak up before they would end up running through the same conversation she had just had with her mother.

"Uh Dad, I need to let you know that I'm not coming home, but it's okay. I just need some time. After Arcadia Bay. The storm, Dad- oh it was awful. So many people died. I just- I need some time to process everything, before I'm ready to go home. But I will come home again, I promise. I _promise."_

She spoke with earnest hoping that her father would understand. He always seemed to be the most understanding of her parents, always knew what was on Max's mind if she ever came to him about anything. Another moment's silence before he responded in his usual, gruff voice.

"Alright. Okay... I understand. I trust you- We trust you - Max. It broke our hearts to see Arcadia destroyed like that, and we've been so scared for you. You don't know how worried we've been or how desperately we've waited for you to call."

"I know, Dad. I know." Max understood her father's honesty. "I fucked up. I fucked up _big time._ I should have called you earlier, should have texted, I-"

"You weren't ready to do that yet, were you kiddo?" He replied softly, a voice full of love.

 _You always get it._

"No... Not until today. And even now I need Chloe's help."

Gentle thumbs rubbed circles on the back of Max's wrists in response to that, and Chloe let out a soft hum in Max's ear.

"How is Chloe? Is she holding up alright? I'm so sorry about everything she's been through."

"She's right here Dad, with me. She's… been better. It's not good. But…" Max turned her head slightly to look at the reddened, glistening eyes of the girl listening to her every word. "I'm here for her, and I'm never leaving her. We're getting through this. Together."

"I'm proud of you," her father gushed, "I'm so proud that you're my daughter, Max. Chloe is lucky to have you as a friend. Is she there, can we speak to her?"

Max watched as Chloe picked her head up at the request, a flicker of surprise on her face. She lifted an arm to her mouth and coughed into her elbow, clearing her throat, before swallowing and replying. Her voice was as hoarse as Max's.

"Yes, I'm here. Hello, Mr. Caulfield." Chloe quietly picked up.

 _She sound's so vulnerable, so young. Oh, Chloe…_

"Hey sweetie, I'm here too. It's been a long time since we've heard that voice of yours." Vanessa joined back in.

"Yeah, same here." Chloe coughed again, attempting to make herself sound less distraught.

"Chloe, I know you can't be doing too good after everything you've been through. And we're really, truly sorry for that." Ryan said.

"Thank you so much for being there for our Max." Vanessa added, "We know you must be taking good care of her, because you always had her back when you guys were younger. You're her best friend, and we always thought of you as part of our family."

Max felt Chloe hunch forward a little as a few silent sobs wracked the taller girl's body, and when she looked to see her face she was gritting her teeth with eyes closed.

 _Oh._

"We want you to know we're here for you, too. Whatever you need. If you or Max need anything or want us to come get you and bring you back to Seattle, we will. No questions asked." Ryan continued.

"Tha-thank you." Chloe managed to respond.

"Your mother was a wonderful woman, Chloe. You were her world and we knew that. You'll always be welcome with us. We're so sorry."

A few moments passed before Max reached for Chloe's hand and intertwined her fingers with her own. Chloe didn't respond to her mother, so Max knew it was time for her to pitch in again.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Maxine?"

"I really fucked up not contacting you."

"Max, it's okay. It's going to be alright. We just _really_ need you to keep in touch with us from now on, okay? If you don't, we _will_ have to come looking for you. You're an adult but…you're still our baby girl."

"Thanks, Mom. Dad."

"Max…where are you staying? Do you have money, are you okay? We aren't kidding around when we say you can ask us for anything right now."

"Um…" Max dodged the first question, and was unsure if she should mention any money they'd been living on, the _stolen_ money. She decided against it. "We've been getting by. We just had to get out of Arcadia Bay. It was... too much to handle. We camped out for a bit after and stayed at a few motels, and there were a few roadblocks that stopped us from going north for awhile, but we managed to find an apartment to stay in now and just take some time to…figure things out. Things were really difficult for a moment there," Max grimaced at the understatement, "...but it's getting better. It's kind of nice to have a break from things…" She trailed off, not entirely sure where she was going after that.

"Okay. We trust you. We're going to transfer you some money after Christmas day, for you and Chloe both. _Look after yourselves, alright?_ " Ryan Caulfield urged. Max started nodding before realizing her parents couldn't see what she was doing.

"…Thank you. Really. I love you guys so much. You don't even know…"

"We know, Maxine."

"Okay."

A silence hung between them all as she reflected on her emotions. She felt…reassurance and relief from talking to her parents. After everything she'd been through since October, it was a weight off her shoulder she desperately needed. She needed her parents and hearing them right then was like taking a breath of fresh air after rainfall.

"You there, Max?" Her mother finally prompted.

"Yeah. Still here."

Max turned to look to her best friend, noting how the girl was resting her head against the couch with eyes still shut, a slight furrow to her brows. She turned back to the phone in her hand to end the conversation with her parents when Chloe opened her eyes and spoke again.

"Mr and Mrs Caulfield?" The taller girl asked.

"Yes, Chloe?" Vanessa replied.

"I just want to let you know that back in Arcadia Bay, Max saved my life. Truly. I would be dead without her and I'm so grateful. I'm gonna make sure she's okay."

"Oh, girls…" Max's mother sounded like she was about to cry again.

"Chloe, you're a good kid. I'm thankful Max gets to have you back in her life, and it sounds like she's good for you too. Max, you look after Chloe too. You guys need each other."

"Will do, Dad." Max promised and squeezed Chloe's hand. "Dad? Mom? We should probably get going, but I'll call you again tomorrow, okay?"

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Alright. We'll call you to make sure tomorrow anyway. Be safe, girls." Max's father fared them.

"I love you guys." Max responded.

"We love you, too." Her mother ended the call.

Max stared at her black screen of her phone again, no longer shaking but now both emotionally and physically exhausted. She threw the phone to the end of the couch so that she could wipe away the tears streaked down her face with the sleeve of her free arm. Her other hand still holding Chloe's, she looked to the ceiling and blinked hard several times.

 _Ugh, I must look like a mess._

Taking a deep breath and shuffling forward a few inches, Max was about to turn around to face her best friend, but a tattooed arm wrapped around her torso and pulled her back against Chloe's chest.

She placed her arm on top of Chloe's and held them there, humming to herself lightly. They both needed a moment to recollect their thoughts and emotions, Chloe's cheek pressing close to Max's hair as she rocked them gently side to side.

Max took in a few more deep breaths as calm overcome her.

"Thanks for being there for me." Max said softly.

"Hmm," Chloe agreed. Another minute passed before the blue-haired girl spoke again. "I love you, Max. This is why you're my best friend."

Max's face broke out into a smile at that statement, genuine joy swelling in her chest.

"I love you too, Chloe." She slowly pulled herself away again, Chloe releasing her from her grip so that they could look at each other. Max assumed she must look the way Chloe also did with wet cheeks, bloodshot eyes and a slight dash of dishevelment to her hair.

 _She still looks beautiful, though._ Max thought to herself before adding, "Sorry I'm such a hot mess."

Chloe's expression changed to a small grin at that, letting out a small laugh.

"Yeah, you look like a hot mess alright. So do I, I bet."

"A little. It suits you, though." Max grinned back at her best friend, and they just smiled at each other for a second or two.

"You know…crying is good for you. It releases stress hormones and shit. Makes you feel better. I read that in a book once." Chloe said matter-of-factly.

"Ha, yeah. You really are a bit of a science nerd aren't you."

"And you're a bit of a hipster, so there's that."

They laughed at each other again and Max could tell the tension in the air had alleviated itself. It felt so good to be with Chloe right in that moment. She didn't want to be with anyone else other than with Chloe Price.

The blue-haired girl raised her arms and placed them on Max's shoulders, and with an even more cheeky smile shook Max a little. "You did it, SuperMax."

"Yeah." Max agreed. " _We_ did it."

"Right then, let's get up."

"Huh?" Max was a bit confused as Chloe stood upright, wondering what the girl had on her mind.

"I think this calls for a bit of an adventure. It's Christmas Eve so… let's make ourselves look a bit less zombified and do something good for ourselves. Let's get out of this dingy apartment for a bit, yeah?"

Chloe had her hand reached out towards Max expectantly, waiting for her to grab it so that she could lead her away. Max didn't need to be told twice and swiftly took up Chloe's offer.

"Fuck it, yes. We deserve a treat." Max grinned as she took Chloe's hand as the taller girl pulled her up off the couch.


	6. Chapter 6: Soft Lights and Snowflakes

Snow crunched satisfyingly under their boots as Chloe and Max made their way down the street, side by side.

A crisp layer had settled on the footpath despite recent clearing, banks of snow bordering their way, and they laughed as they took their care in not slipping over -Max especially- while Chloe played close mind to stay close to Max should she need to catch her.

They were both rugged up in warm clothing and jackets in order to brave the winter weather. Chloe wore her trusty beanie and kept her hands shoved in the pockets of her thrifted jacket, while Max had wrapped a scarf around her neck and wore the one pair of woolen gloves so she could hold her camera, ready to shoot anything that inspired her. The evening sky grew darker above them, meaning soon enough the street lamps will flicker on, and Chloe wondered if the overcast weather meant that it was going to snow again that night. She hadn't bothered to check the forecast before they left in an attempt to get out of the apartment as soon as they could, but she shivered at the thought. It was already quite cold enough outside as it were.

It had been an emotional roller-coaster to have been a part of the Caulfield's phone call. Chloe found it hard enough to ever bear witness to a crying Max, let alone hear Vanessa and Ryan choke up so much on the other end of the line with love and longing for their daughter. Growing up, Chloe had been treated by Max's parents with kindness and love, and had jokingly remarked that she was around their household so often that they had practically adopted another daughter. Chloe's parents, William and Joyce, had both said the same of Max at one point also.

Chloe's chest ached when both of Max's parents had spoken to her, assuring Chloe that they still cared for her as well. But it was the good kind of ache. A sense of belonging, she guessed. It couldn't be helped that their chat had brought up emotions about her own parents, all...three. Chloe had closed her eyes and held Max tight in an attempt to head off a breakdown, but it hadn't been entirely successful. She was grateful only Max was there to witness her vulnerability and tears then, sharing the moment together.

Emotional overload all around.

Cold weather or not, Chloe was determined that the two of them were going to get out on an adventure that evening. Their afternoon's events still lingered in the form of a slightly blocked nose and a light headache. She didn't regret it, though. It was a good thing that Max had finally called her parents. It was certainly heavy stuff but Chloe knew that it was something that had to happen in order for Max to start moving on. Max carried a lot of guilt and blame on herself about the loss of Chloe's mother and stepfather. Hell, after what the smaller girl had told Chloe in October, she might even be blaming herself for her father's death as well.

Despite Max's incredible ability to do the impossible, she didn't want to blame Max at all for what happened. After everything they had gone through together Chloe was grateful that Max had finally reached back out to her parents again. Max couldn't do everything on her own and Chloe knew that she would need her parents in her life. What they escaped from in Arcadia Bay was more than just a storm and the loss of friends and family. It was something beyond that, something supernatural. There was no way that destiny or fate didn't come into play, at least not in Chloe's eyes. The things they'd been through, and especially what Max had been through in that one week alone, were things they were going to have to deal with for the rest of their lives. Chloe was thankful that she had Max, and she wanted Max to be happy and have a family regardless whether Chloe had one any more.

Max was Chloe's family now.

She could tell that the phone call had lifted a weight from Max's shoulders and brought the girl some relief, which was why she decided that they were going to make the most of the moment and go on an adventure to clear their heads after all the crying.

As they walked, momentarily both lost in thought, she looked down at Max, who ahead with a contemplative expression. It was obvious that she had been crying recently, and Chloe wondered if she looked the same. But Max was holding her head up a little higher than Chloe had seen it before, and she couldn't help but smile and link her left arm through Max's, causing the brunette look up at her with a warm smile on her face in return.

"Where we going, Chlo?" Max finally asked her.

"Well I was thinking…" Chloe answered, "that I'm in the mood for a hot chocolate. The weather's perfect for it, right? Then we could do some exploring around the town, aaaaand maybe you could take some photos?"

Max glanced down at the camera that Chloe had encouraged her to bring with them, then looked back up at her again.

"Yeah, actually, that sounds really nice." Max agreed.

"Great!" Chloe grinned. Max hummed happily in response. The sight and sound of her best friend being in a good made Chloe wanna glow in pride, and she sighed a misty breath in the low light.

Just as they made it to the main street of the town, Chloe's prediction from earlier came true as the street lamps turned on, illuminating the small town roads and buildings with a warm orange glow.

The town and its buildings gave off an 'old-timey', gold-rush, logging village-type vibe. Which, Chloe thought to herself, was probably true. She hadn't given much thought to the Fork River's history, but she had to admit it had its own charm. In fact, the more she thought about it the more beautiful the place was. They were surrounded by mountains adorned with pine trees and snow, nestled in the middle of a valley where the town sat off to the side of a main highway. Rows of wooden buildings on either side of the street were dressed with assortments of Christmas lights and decorations, the old street lamps had been decorated with hanging wreaths and tinsel, in the distance band music could be heard with perhaps the faint sound of a Christmas choir. It reminded Chloe of movies she'd watched as a kid with her father, the memory inducing a pang of love and longing for him.

Arm-in-arm with Max they walked through all the lights, smiling and making a few jokes to each other lightheartedly. They both decided that perhaps they should go find out what all the commotion was as clearly something festive was going down in town. Chloe led the way around another street corner where they could see that farther ahead was a small community fair, where crowds were gathered along the street around stalls and stands, a small stage at the far end with a band and choir performing Christmas carols.

"Wow…this is cool!" Max blurted out in surprise. Her eyes widened at the scene.

"Yeah! Let's check it out!" Chloe pulled the girl along with her excitedly towards the crowd as Max let out a small giggle and followed.

 _This is perfect!_

They weaved their way through families and children, and Chloe was surprised that so many people were around. She hadn't known the community around here could be so full. She could see the smaller girl looking around at everything in amazement, colors and light bouncing off her irises.

Chloe suddenly halted and she could feel the small girl following her nearly run into her as she spun around to look at Max.

"Chloe, what?" Max asked.

Chloe just grinned and pointed towards a stand, "Look! Hot chocolate! Do you want one?"

"Yeah... of course!" Max nearly scoffed.

"Right then!"

Chloe made her way up to one of the stalls and ordered the two girls takeaway cups of steaming hot chocolate, and Max didn't protest when she asked for whipped cream, marshmellows and a drizzle of caramel sauce on each. She reckoned that they deserved to treat themselves to something hella sweet. Chloe fished out some cash from her pockets, throwing sideways glances to watch Max investigate another stall next to them where baking was being sold before turning around and making her way back to Chloe.

As the surrounding lights flickered across Max as she was approaching, Chloe felt herself inhale sharply.

 _Wow…_

 _Max is…so gorgeous right now._

The brunette caught Chloe staring at her, and grinned inquisitively as she reached her side again. Chloe's breath caught as that warm smile spread across her best friend's face.

"You alright, Chloe?" She asked kindly.

Chloe coughed, "Yeah bud, I'm alright." She tried not to blush involuntarily

Max hummed in response -her features relaxing- and fidgeted with the camera in her hand, suddenly preoccupied with her thoughts.

Once their drinks were ready, Chloe handed Max her own and they continued making their way to explore the festivities. She raised her cup to her lips and blew on it before taking a sip. It was deliciously sweet and warm, exactly what she needed right then and there. Chloe was beginning to enjoy herself more and more as the evening went on, especially by Max's side.

They made their way closer to the stage set up in front of the quaint chapel steps. A brass band and small church choir serenaded the crowd with _O Holy Night_. The sun had now set and the temperature dropped so Chloe cradled her drink with both hands close to her chest for the warmth. Multi-colored lights danced, and the street lamps threw a soft glow across the courtyard and over the crowd, while families both sat and stood singing along. It was quite a surreal and peaceful moment.

 _CLICK! Whirrrr._

The unmistakable flash and sound of her father's old camera taking a photo startled Chloe. Wide-eyed with mild surprise she looked to her left to see a guilty Max lowering the camera that had undoubtedly just taken a shot of her when she wasn't looking. She nudged the brunette's arm playfully and Max swayed for a moment, emitting a shy laugh.

"What was that you just took a photo of?" Chloe asked. Max shrugged while carefully removing the printed polaroid.

"I dunno, some punk chick." Max joked.

"You should have let me know, I could have posed for your expertise photography!"

"Sometimes candid shots make the moment way better, Chloe." The brunette smiled.

"Dork."

"Hmm." Max responded, watching the polaroid develop. Chloe noted that Max had put her drink down when she carefully stashed the camera away in her messenger bag, then bent down to pick up the beverage again with her free hand.

Chloe leaned over the smaller girl's shoulder to take a look of the polaroid.

"Hey, lemme see…"

Max obliged and showed it to Chloe, who gingerly took it into her own hand and inspected every detail of the image.

 _Wow, I look…really great._

Max had taken a portrait of Chloe glancing out into the crowd. Variations of different colored lights softly fell on her face, and she wore an expression of content on her features. It was an expression she hadn't seen herself with for a indeterminable amount of time. Behind her even more lights glowed out of focus, soft and buttery.

 _She really does have a great eye for beautiful moments._ Chloe admired.

"It's wonderful, Max. You're so talented." She murmured her approval and glanced back at her best friend. A humble Max muttered, "Thanks, Chloe." Chloe returned the polaroid back to her and Max placed it safely in the pocket of her bag.

"Hey Chloe? Can we get something to eat?" Max asked. She realized in that moment that neither of them had eaten anything since their lunch together in the apartment, and nodded in agreement.

"Hells yes. I'm _starving._ Let me just finish this drink first and we'll go find somewhere for dinner."

Max nodded as well and sipped from her own cup, a small smile still peaking out from her scarf.

They wandered back towards the shops on the main street, searching for a diner or restaurant where they could relax in warmth and satisfy their hunger pains. Chloe spotted a place that looked good enough, a diner named " _Jackson's"_ that was giving off a rustic vibe _._ She grabbed Max's hand and pulled her inside after her, embracing the wall of warmth she was instantly enveloped by once through the door.

Much like everything in this town the diner was small, a bar running the length of the room on one side and wooden booths along the other. The walls were adorned with various fishing, hunting and mining equipment, as well as photographs retelling stories of Fork River's history. It was inviting and, much to Chloe's relief, wasn't at all too crowded thanks to the attractions that continued on the streets outside. They found themselves a booth in the corner, and Chloe picked up a menu to inspect without hesitation while Max's eyes trailed around the room at the decor.

"Dude, I'm so hungry I can practically feel myself wasting away." Chloe remarked, eyes running up and down the menu taking everything in.

"Yeah, I'm really hankering for a hot meal right now too."

Chloe snickered. "Did you just say 'hankering'?"

"Shuddup."

They both laughed and Max picked up a menu to read through as well.

 _Man, everything sounds so good right now._

 _Pizza? I could so do with some pizza, I haven't had any in ages._

"Good evening, ladies!" A cheery young waitress greeted and walked up to their table with a notepad in hand. Chloe looked up as she stood in front of them. "Welcome to Jackson's, my name is Alex and I'll be your host tonight."

Chloe took a moment to inspect the waitress. She can't have been that much older than herself, definitely in her early twenties, wearing a black blouse and dark blue jeans. The girl had blonde hair with red-tipped ends pulled back into a ponytail, a full fringe and piercings. Despite her interesting appearance the girl was radiating with friendliness. Chloe thought to herself that this girl did not look like the kind of person who'd be living in a mountain town like this, but then again with Chloe's azure hair, tattoos and punk attire, who was she to judge?

The waitress continued speaking, "Tonight's special is Chinook Salmon, smoked and served with garnishes on a hot plate. Soup of the day is Jack's creamy pumpkin soup with a side of crispy garlic bread. Now, would you like to order drinks before making your order?"

Max spoke up first. "I'd like a cola please, and I'm ready to order food now if you are, Chloe?"

"Oh, um…" Chloe hadn't decided on anything yet, but settled on her earlier consideration anyway. "I'll get a raspberry soda and a supreme pizza. Like, the largest pizza you have. I'm _dying_ right now."

Both the waitress and Max laughed at Chloe's request, and the brunette added her meal as the waitress wrote it down. Classic Max ordered a plate of hot fries with sauce. The waitress left them to their thoughts and headed back into the kitchen with their orders.

"This is really nice. I'm glad we're doing this." Max piped up.

"Good! Y-yeah, I didn't know that all that stuff would be going on tonight, but I'm super glad we got out. Who knew this place was so beautiful?"

"Yeah, good idea, Chloe. It is Christmas Eve after all."

"Hmm…yeah. Speaking of," Chloe added and Max raised an eyebrow with curiosity. "Do you…do you wanna take up that offer that lady gave you earlier today? I was thinking before, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. She sounds…nice?"

"Oh, the neighborr? Ms. Dawkins?"

"Yeah?"

"I was gonna ask you, I don't think it's such a bad idea after all. I think... she's lonely, Chloe. And she seemed harmless enough. Maybe it'd be a good thing for us. We don't have to stay very long if we don't want to…do you want to?" Max looked to Chloe, who leaned back against the seat of the booth with one arm and the other fiddled with a salt shaker on the table.

"I guess. Yeah. I mean, it's not like we're going to have a normal Christmas anyway. And after tonight…" She trailed off for a few seconds, Max watching her patiently.  
"I think we should definitely go with the flow. Let's just have a nice day, yeah?"

Chloe noticed the small smile flicker on Max's face.

"Yeah. I think it'll be nice. Let's just relax."

"Good plan."

Alex the waitress returns and places their drinks down on the table then asks if they'd like anything else before both girls shake their heads and Max thanks her anyway. Chloe and Max sip on their drinks for awhile, a comfortable and content silence falling between them. Chloe thinks about the fact that no matter the situation she never finds herself feeling awkward around Max. It's always been that way ever since they were children. They could spend hours on end talking or laughing or they could just happily chill in each other's company. It's a nice feeling to share.

 _Although,_ Chloe thought, _the only thing about this place that feel's like 'old times' is the girl sitting in front of me._

Lost in thought Chloe is watching Max idly stir her cola with a straw when suddenly the brunette slumps in on herself. The action catches Chloe by surprise, brows furrowing with concern as she straightens up to look at Max closer. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Max's eyes are filled with wistfulness and she looks downwards with another shrug, adverting her gaze, and Chloe can see the girl gathering the courage to speak her mind.

"It's just that…I have something I wanna ask you."

"Go on." Chloe encourages.

"Where do you see us going from here? I'm a bit lost." Max confesses.

Chloe blinks a few times, caught off-guard by the question. Max's eyes are observing her quietly as she waits for a response.

 _Go from here? Oh jeez, she looks so worried.  
_  
She gives it a moment's thought before responding. "I guess we are just going to take it one step at a time. There's no rush for us to get anywhere or do anything. We'll just…ya know," she shrugs, "...go with the flow."

Max turns her head to the side and looks outward to the diner, obviously mulling something over in her head, so Chloe asks her a question of her own. "What's on your mind? Why do you wanna know?"

"Am I letting you down in any way?" Max blurts out, then shrinks in on herself like she does when she's shy or nervous about something.

 _Wow. Max is really making an effort to be honest here._

Chloe doesn't hesitate to reach out across the table and take Max's hand in her own. The smaller girl looks down in surprise at Chloe's reassuring touch.

"You're not letting me down, Max. I promise. You're doing so well and…we're getting there. Slowly but surely, kiddo. Like I said, no rush."

Max doesn't look so assured by Chloe, and when she speaks it's as if there is a tinge of regret behind her words.

"Chloe…is there anything you want from me? Anything you wish I would do to make things better?"

It was a surprisingly vulnerable question from her best friend. Max was being incredibly earnest with her questions and, when Chloe thought about it, she wasn't entirely surprised considering what occurred earlier in the day. Max had promised to her parents to actively keep in touch with them in order to not let them down, and Chloe wondered if that was the reasoning behind these sudden questions.

When Chloe's eyes met Max's, the smaller girl's blue eyes glistened with intensity. The brunette's chest was starting to rise and fall more rapidly, indicating to the taller girl that her lack of response was causing Max's anxiety to flair up. She knew she had to meet Max with equal vulnerability, so Chloe took a deep breath before answering and squeezed her hand.

"Honestly Max? The only thing I want from you right now is, well, honesty. We went through a shitstorm and now we've just gotta keep moving forward, that's all we can do about it. We promised each other we'll always be there for one another and I believe it. I really do. And the key idea of moving forward is that…that we're going to do it together.Max and Chloe against the world. Shit, well, if you open up to me then I'll open up to you and we'll work shit out and…keep moving forward."

Chloe was keeping eye-contact with Max now, wanting the girl to believe every word that she said. She was truly spilling her guts out on the table here.

"B-back in Arcadia Bay, you knew I was a mess when you met me again," Chloe continued, "The girl you left behind when you went to Seattle? Well… she wasn't there anymore. When Dad died, I just lost all hope, you know? I lost it. I'd lost you, too. And I didn't see a future I wanted anymore so I threw so much away. I wasn't going anywhere. I was just stuck in Arcadia Bay and the only thing I knew was that I wanted to get the hell out, with or without Rachel, who I also lost."

She took another deep breath to stabilize herself.

"Since you've come back into my life…," Chloe felt a tickling at the corner of her eyes, "well, I don't know what my future has. But I know it's got you in it, and I know you need me and we need each other. So I just want to keep moving forward. That's all I got for now." _  
_  
A slight blush was rising in Chloe's cheeks. Raw honesty with anyone was not something she was used to, and she definitely felt vulnerable after her little speech there. She adverted her eyes and stared at Max's hands in her own and sniffed, realizing for the first time that a few tears had fallen down her cheeks. She lifted her free sleeve to wipe them dry.

 _Why are you so nervous about saying this all of a sudden? It's Max. This is Max you're talking to. Your best friend. She's not going to betray your honesty, idiot._

Chloe reassured herself then flicked her gaze back up to her best friend's face again. Max was staring at her intently.

"Chloe, I-" Max softly began, but Chloe interrupted her.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to Max, I kind of laid it on thick there."

Max's sudden smile was warm and loving and it made Chloe want to melt in an instant.

"Chloe, I agree with you. You're right. Sorry I just... had a bit of an insecure moment. But you're right, and I'm really glad I asked. I'm _so_ glad I have you, Chlo." Max laid her other hand on top of theirs and rubs the back of Chloe's wrist reassuringly.

Happiness filled Chloe's chest and she grinned back at the brunette, and they both smiled at each other as Chloe let out a small laugh. She thought about the affect Max had on her. No matter what, Max could always say and do the right thing to make Chloe feel better when she needed to.

 _Damn, this is so healing. Max genuinely makes me feel happy. When was the last time someone made me feel so unconditionally loved? The world practically ended but Max makes me smile so damn much._

They let go of each other's hands as the waitress, Alex or something-a-rather, carried over two plates of hot, delicious-smelling food.

 _About time! I freaking need to eat!_

The rest of their evening in the diner was far more easy going. The mood between them was a lot lighter as the girls laughed and talked about their meals, throwing slight jokes and shared warm glances at each other now and then. Max made fun of Chloe when some melted cheese had flicked itself up onto her face after pulling a slice apart, and Chloe retorted by bringing up embarrassing memories of Max as a kid. They ended up reminiscing about adventures they had shared together as children, and by the time came for Chloe to pay for the food, the both of them were in genuinely happy states.

Max thanked the waitress for them as they left the diner and stepped out into the cold night. "Gah, fuck!" Chloe gasped as the bitter air hit her face. "Got way too used to the warmth!"

Max laughed. The small girl linked her arm through Chloe's and they made their way back along the street in the direction of their apartment. The sky was much darker now as they walked by streetlight, the sound of Christmas music still played in the distance. Chloe hummed as she kept Max close, her cold hands stuffed inside her jacket pockets once more.

"Chloe stop, I wanna do something." Max halted.

"Okay? But not for long. I'm starting to go blue here." Chloe shivered. Max pulled her camera out of her bag.

"Selfie time. I wanna remember tonight." Max stated.

Chloe grinned and bent her knees a little, lowering her head to Max's height while the girl positioned the camera out in front of them. Chloe kept her eyes up at the little lense in front of her.

"Three...two…one…"

Chloe stuck her tongue out at the last second, then-

 _FLASH! Click, whirrr._

Max laughed in amusement when the photo developed and shoved Chloe's shoulder playfully. The polaroid was a really great shot in Chloe's opinion, Max was smiling sweetly while Chloe just looked like a complete dork. Behind them were twinkling lights, glowing softly. Chloe shoved Max back, then linked her arm back through hers as they continued on their way.

Chloe wouldn't say it out loud just yet, but she hoped that every new photograph that Max took it would help replace a bad memory of an old one.

The footpath curves uphill as they turn onto the street leading to their block of apartments closer to the trees. Max breaks away from Chloe and pulls herself up onto a concrete wall, reaching one hand down. Chloe glanced up at the girl.

"Hold my hand so I don't lose my balance." Max requests, and Chloe happily obliges as they walk alongside each other. A memory of train tracks in Arcadia Bay comes to mind, where two girls recently reunited had held each other's hands to keep balance while waltzing along rails.

"Don't fall, dork." Chloe warned.

"Ha! I've got you to catch me, don't I?"

"Yeah but I'd rather it not come to that!"

Laughter erupts between them.

 _Music to my ears.  
_  
The light from the street lamp ahead fell onto Max's face as she kept her face forward, watching where she was going. Snowflakes fell onto the brunette's hair, sparkling, and Chloe gasped as she looked up to the sky.

It was snowing.

"Wowser Chloe, snow!" Max exclaimed with her usual catchphrase.

"Yeah..." Chloe murmured in agreement.

She wasn't watching the snow, though. Her eyes were on the brunette above, stunned speechless by the beauty of the moment. In the light of the streetlamp, flakes of ice through her hair, a joy to her step – Max was… _entrancing._

Hopping down from the wall Max leaned against Chloe for support. "C'mon. Let's get back before we freeze to death out here." They hurried back to the apartment while the snowfall fell heavier and heavier.

An hour later, Chloe changed out of her day outfit and threw her clothes in a heap in the corner. She needed to remember to do the washing sometime soon before they both ran out of clean clothes to wear. Slipping into her sleepwear, she pulled on her black sweatpants and a long-sleeved black top before snuggling under the covers. The lamp on the bedside cabinet next to her was the only source of light in the room, except for the light falling through the door from the open bathroom where Max was brushing her teeth. The radiator in the corner hummed as it attempted to warm the bedroom against the cold, winter air.

Footsteps pattered down the hallway as a barefooted Max, also dressed similarly to Chloe, returned from the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Chloe scooted over a bit to let the smaller girl get comfortable under the duvet as Max joined her, laying down with her back to Chloe so that the taller girl could spoon her.

"Want me to turn off the light now?" Chloe asked.

"Mhmm." The brunette murmured in affirmation, obviously exhausted from the day. Chloe flicked off the lamp and cuddled up next to Max, placing an arm over her waist and pulling the duvet up over them both. Max hummed in content. This was routine for them now, and nothing felt more natural.

"I hope I don't have nightmares tonight." Max quietly said.

"I'm right here if you do." Chloe reassured her.

"I know. Today was just so good."

"Yeah, it was."

"Thanks Chloe. I love you."

Chloe was glad that Max couldn't see the pink blush in her cheeks right then.

"I love you too, Max. Sweet dreams."

* * *

Max always fell asleep faster than Chloe. As she lay there awake, she listened to Max's breathing until it was even and slow.

 _I really do hope you get a good night's sleep Max, you deserve it._

Chloe gazed at the back of the brunette's head and focused on the rise and fall of Max's body against her arm. It was always reassuring that Max was right there when Chloe's mind wandered at night.

A bright light flashed throughout the room twice and her eyes startled wide-open.

 _What the hell?_ Chloe thought as she looked around the room. Max didn't stir.

 _Was that lightning?_

It wouldn't surprise her if it was, considering the heavy snowfall outside, but she waited a few minutes to hear for thunder regardless. When it never came, she nestled her head back on the pillow next to Max's hair and allowed herself to drift to sleep, loving thoughts of her mother and father on her mind. 

* * *

The next thing Chloe knew was that she was running.

Sprinting down the streets of Fork Rivers.

 _I have to find Max, I have to get to Max!_

Her mind was screaming.

No snow was to be seen on the ground and Chloe was aware of how warm it was as she ran full speed in a tank top and jeans.

 _Where is Max!?  
_  
Behind her, another girl was yelling.

" _Chloe!"_

It wasn't the voice she wanted to hear.

A flash of lightning crashed into the ground ahead of her.

Thunder boomed from above.

Her vision was beginning to turn red.

" _MAX!? WHERE ARE YOU?"_

Chloe screamed.

Another flash of lightning blinded her.

A vision of a bull laying on the ground beside her in a pool of blue blood.

As her eyesight returned, she found herself suspended in the air a few feet above the ground.

It was if gravity had released her from the earth and she was floating, kicking, trying to move forward.

The sky transformed black, a dark vortex extended down from the earth.

Blue lightning lit up the middle of the tornado.

Chloe crashed into the ground as gravity returned, slamming down hard on her back.

Dark spots invaded her eyesight and she could sense herself drifting into unconsciousness.

Again, another girl screamed her name in the distance.

Thunder.

" _Max…"_ She whimpered. 

* * *

Chloe was shaking as she sat up in bed. Max was laying down next to her just as before, deep in her slumber, safe and sound.

Chloe was in her bedroom.

 _It was just a weird fucking nightmare!_ She thought to herself, rubbing her eyes for a few moments.

Sighing, she lowered herself back down next to the smaller girl, grateful that she hadn't acted out enough to disturb her.

Chloe wrapped her arm around Max's waist once more. "I've got you, Max." She whispered into Max's hair as her muscles relaxed, her heart rate settling. " _I've always got you_ , _I promise._ "


	7. Chapter 7: Christmas

"Max. Maaaaaax. Max! Wake up!"

"Gah, what?"

"Wake up, sleepyhead. You're sleeping the day away."

Chloe's face stared down at her from above, wearing a sly grin, a playful spark to blue eyes. Hands were on Max's shoulders, jostling her into consciousness with gentle shakes. Max glared with bleary, squinted eyes at the azure-haired punk before propping herself up onto her elbow so she could sweep her own hair off her face.

"Chloooe," Max grumbled sleepily, trying to shake off her sleep. "What's up? What time is it?" She was clearly struggling to come to her senses. A quick glance around the room revealed a fully dressed Chloe sitting on the bed next to her, a plate of food in her hand, and a familiar sweet scent floating through the air.

 _Pancakes?_

"Dude it's, like, eleven. I actually got up before you for once. You were dead to the world!" Chloe laughed.

"Oh, ha-ha," Max teased. Then she raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "...Actually, I'm proud of you." She grinned when Chloe winked at her.

Max shuffled her way up the bed and into a sitting position, resting her back against the wall and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She noted with some surprise how rested she truly felt. It almost seemed like a new feeling. She hadn't had a nightmare that night, and could believe Chloe - she must have been out like a light. Her heart swelled as memories of the previous evening's adventures came flooding back to her all at once, and when she looked over to her best friend she felt as if her stomach was floating.

"What have you got there?" Max asked, referring to the food in Chloe's hands. The girl grinned and looked down at it with pride, then back to Max.

"Merry Christmas, Max. It's not much, but," She moved herself up the bed so that they were sitting next to each other, offering out the plate of food. "I made food. For eating in bed. Here!"

Max smiled and accepted the offer and Chloe passed her a knife and fork from the bedside table.

"Wow Chloe… this is so nice! But, what about you?" Max queried, pointing out the lack of any other food in the room.

"Don't worry, I made breakfast for me too. I've been waiting for you to get up, but you were out cold. I got impatient." Chloe shrugged and chuckled. "Sorry."

 _Wow, she's so sweet._

"Ah, it's not a problem. Thanks for waking me up." Max rolled her shoulders and stretched a little to make herself more comfortable. "I don't know why I slept in, I don't actually remember anything from last night for once."

"Hey, it's good you got some rest. I don't remember you having bad dreams or anything either, you just mumbled a couple of times. It was my turn to have a nightmare last night."

 _She had a nightmare?_

"You had a nightmare last night?" She asked. Max was concerned, Chloe wasn't one to get nightmares. The taller girl looked at Max with the tiniest of frowns and ran her hand through her blue hair in thought.

"It was... really weird. It felt real, like it wasn't just a dream, but like a memory or ...something. Kinda cryptic shit too, I was having visions of the weirdest things." She shook her head and sighed. "I kept running and running and calling your name out a lot, but I couldn't find you. I was so scared and sad at the same time and... and then I woke up in a cold-sweat. Just jumped upright in bed." She gestured to the room with her hands, then glanced sideways to Max again. "You didn't even flinch, though, so that's alright."

Max chewed on the inside of her lip, slightly annoyed at herself that she hadn't woken up to comfort Chloe when clearly it had bothered her. "That sounds like it sucked. I'm sorry to hear that. Are you sure you are alright?"

Chloe met her eyes and her facials relaxed, that cheeky smile making a return. It was the same face Max knew Chloe would make when she didn't want anyone to worry about her, but she did seem fine now despite that, so she was okay with letting it go.

"Dandy. Don't worry, Mad Max. I'm all good now." She shuffled to the edge. "Let me just go get my meal and I'll be back in a sec."

Chloe hopped off the bed and left the room to the kitchen. While she waited, Max pulled the comforter up a bit more and propped her pancakes on her lap. She noted that the blinds had been opened, revealing snowflakes still falling outside. She yawned and smiled, and let the heat from her breakfast warm her legs while a different warmth blossomed on the inside with a fuzziness to her chest.

 _A white Christmas...  
I feel so relaxed right now.  
And Chloe has already made me smile more than I thought we would today.  
I hope she's alright. We could do with a good day today.  
I just wish that... there were more people here to celebrate it with us. Joyce and David. Oh, Chloe..._

She could hear Chloe tinkering about with some utensils while Max remembered she should check her phone. No doubt, her parents would have sent her a message first thing in the morning, and she'd already overslept apparently.

 _This is the first Christmas I've ever spent without them._

Her gut sunk a little with guilt.

 _It was a good idea that I called them yesterday. They really do miss me.  
_ _I miss them too, but... at least I know they're safe and sound in Seattle._

Sighing, she gingerly moved her plate to the bedside table and stretched, reaching down the side of the bed to pull her phone off of the charger. The screen flashed at her the moment she touched it, battery at 100%, and messages from her family piled up in her notifications. Max opened the one from her mother and read:

" _Merry Christmas Maxine. Your father and I were so relieved to hear from you yesterday. It doesn't feel right to be waking up this morning without you here with us, but we hope you are okay. We understand that today might be hard for you, and that you're a big girl looking out for yourself right now. Give us a call any time. Sending all our love to you, and of course to Chloe. Give her lots of love today from all of us. XOXOXO Mom n Pop."_

Max's eyes stung while reading and she had to suppress a sniffle before her nose ran too. In another lifetime she would love to be there with them, relaxing and laughing with her father's special hot coco, rugged up with blankets and passing presents between them. In another lifetime everything and everyone was fine and good, and even Chloe could have a special Christmas with her family. In another lifetime... but this was not that lifetime.

She hurried to reply before she would forget, and mentally noted she would have to remember to call them later in the day.

" _Merry Xmas Mom & Dad. I just woke up. Chloe and I are having breakfast in bed, then we might visit a friend later so we wont be alone. I will call you later. I love you and miss you so much. Please don't worry about me too much and try to have a nice day. I will pass the love on to Chloe. Talk soon, xoMaxo."_

She pressed 'send' just as Chloe padded back into the room with her own plate of food. Max looked up at the beautiful girl in front of her and her breath hitched. To see Chloe, tall and gorgeous, even with her disheveled blue hair, but standing right there in front of her on Christmas day... Max was internally grateful that despite everything that happened, she was here and they were together.

Chloe hopped into bed and joined her with an eyebrow raised questioningly in Max's direction. Max figured she must have looked a bit guilty after she had been a bit contemplative over her text message trying to find the words to say the right thing, but had been caught staring at her as well.

"I just had to text Mom and let her know I'm alright," Max explained, "She's a bit upset that it's our first Christmas apart, but I'm going to make sure to call her and Dad later. Ah, and they send you love too."

Chloe nodded and smiled thoughtfully and made herself comfortable next to Max again but didn't say anything else. Max wondered where her mind was going.

 _Probably thinking about it being her first Christmas without Joyce.  
It can't be easy for her. I wonder if Christmases were ever good for her since William died...  
I'm afraid to ask._

"Thanks for this Chloe, you're the best." Max smiled at her best friend, hoping to keep some conversation flowing to distract the girl from her thoughts. Chloe smiled back.

"Only the best for my first mate, Max!" Chloe grinned, eliciting a small groan and a chuckle from Max.

"First mate? Oh man, how long has it been since we pretended to be pirates?" Max said.

"Too long, if you ask me! That was the life. Just you, me, and the wide-open seas."

"Ahhh yer speaketh the truth, Cap'n Chloe." Max tried her best imitation of a pirate. It fell pretty flat, and she found herself cringing at her own failed accent. Chloe burst out laughing.

"Oh god, that was bad! Max!"

"Shuddup, I know." Max pinched her nose and shook her head. Chloe nudged her playfully, but from the look on her face Max's distraction attempt worked. It didn't look like she was caught up somewhere else at least.

Max loved this kind of banter between the two of them. Laughing and making fun of each other, just like it should be. Maybe Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Eat your pancakes, Max." Chloe encouraged, pointing out the plate on the table. "They're probably not as good as Mom's but I get points for effort, right?"

"You do, Chloe. Thank you. And I promise I'll enjoy them."

They ate contentedly, Max admitting to herself that Chloe was quite the good cook.

She couldn't help but to be thankful for her best friend, Chloe had been looking after her and made sure she ate almost every day since they escaped from Arcadia Bay. Gratitude radiated throughout her, and Max threw sidelong glances at her. She was reminded about what Chloe had said the night before, that the only thing she wanted from Max was for the both of them to have each other's backs and move forward. Max agreed with that and noted to herself that Chloe had truly changed after their ordeal. She was far more… determined for the future, and Max was glad to have her by her side.

"You haven't said anything about my culinary skills yet. That bad?" Chloe asked.

"Not bad at all. You're a real good cook, for real." Max praised.

The smile that lit up on Chloe's face made Max's chest swell a little and glow. It was easy to tell that it genuinely meant something to her best friend that Max honestly enjoyed her gesture. It was really nice, and again Max was so full of gratitude that Chloe was always looking out for her. They continued eating until their plates were picked clean, and Chloe took their dishes to the kitchen to wash up so Max could get dressed and un-zombify herself in the bedroom.

When Max had gotten dressed and walked out to the kitchenette to join Chloe, she was greeted by the girl with a cup of hot coffee.

"Honestly, Chloe, you're amazing!" Max exclaimed as the accepted the coffee with enthusiasm.

"Well, doy. Can't forget the most important part of brunch." Chloe chuckled and took a sip from her own cup. Max followed, and hummed with approval as the warm liquid gave her a light buzz. She walked around the bench and wrapped one arm around the taller girl.

"Seriously, Chloe. Thank you."

Chloe hummed and returned the hug.

"Max it's alright. I'm just so glad you're doing so well lately. It's making me feel good, too."

Max looked up at Chloe to meet her gaze, but the girl was adverting her eyes. She understood where she was coming from though, and Max was grateful for her honesty.

 _This is good. This is what we need._

She pulled away from Chloe and took another sip before setting her coffee down on the bench. Max decided it was time to bring out her own present for Chloe after the blue-haired punk had put so much effort into making her own Christmas morning so nice in her own way.

"Close your eyes Chloe, I'll be back in a second." Max told her.

"Huh, what?" Chloe's voice sounded confused from behind as Max made her way back into the bedroom.

"Close your eyes! Just trust me." Max called back.

"Ohhhhkaaaaay." Chloe called from the kitchen. Max fumbled around the pile of clothes on the floor for her coat.

 _Ugh, we really need to tidy up after ourselves, wh- ah ha! Here it is!_

She pulled her coat up off the floor and found the keychain hidden in its pockets: the little hand-carved bull with blue feathers tattooed on its side and a small, silver chain linked to its spine. Holding it in her palm behind her back, she returned to Chloe standing in the kitchen with her eyes squeezed shut. She had set her own coffee down on the bench next to Max's.

"Am I all good to open my eyes again?" Chloe asked curiously. Max held out her open palm towards the girl, key chain on display so that she'd see it once she could look again.

"Yup."

Chloe's eyes flickered open and blue eyes looked directly at Max, then focused on what was in Max's outstretched hand. She audibly gasped when she spotted the key chain, gingerly reaching out to pick it up.

"Merry Christmas, Chloe." Max said.

"Max!" Chloe exclaimed, "This is hella cool!" She turned over the little bull in her fingers, inspecting it from every angle. Max observed Chloe's face carefully, and it showed nothing but joy.

"Yeah? It reminded me of you."

"Yes, Max! It's rad! It's so nice. Thank you!" Chloe wrapped a long arm around Max's shoulders and squeezed her close for a hug. Max wrapped one arm around Chloe's waist in return, and the held each other tight.

"You didn't have to get me anything you know." Chloe added softly into Max's hair, rocking them side to side.

"Oh, I know, but I wanted to." Max replied. "Actually, there's a nice story behind it. It was a bit of a gift. The guy who carved it let me just have it, and I thought there was no one better to give it to than you Chloe."

"It's peeeerfect Max. Seriously. I love it, and I'm going to keep it on me as a token of our friendship."

She was beaming at Max with warmth in her eyes, once again igniting a fire in her chest. Max hummed and tried not to blush.

"Good." She stated simply, before letting go and reaching for her coffee again. Max made her way over to the couch with coffee in hand, and leaned against the window to watch the snow fall outside. In the kitchen, Chloe hummed happily to herself and quickly washed up the few remaining dishes.

Max was content in that moment.

 _Chloe is…home. My home._

Two new polaroid photographs had been added to the apartment wall from the previous night's adventures. Seeing their little collection growing was really starting to make Max feel good. She knew Chloe liked seeing the photos on display too.

 _New beginnings,_ Max remarked.

As if reading her mind, Chloe walked across the room and sat down next to Max on the couch, then leaned over and reached for the camera sitting on the coffee table.

"Hey, how do you feel about a Christmas selfie?" Chloe asked, looking at Max softly.

"Sure thing, Chlo," she agreed."You can even take it this time."

She was met with enthusiasm, "Hella yes!"

Max snuggled up to Chloe for the shot, acutely aware of how warm and smooth and soft the taller girl's cheek was so close to her own. Chloe held the camera out with one arm, positioning it where she thought would be best, and Max had just enough time to smile before Chloe had pressed the button anyway. The flash glowed and filled their vision without warning and the shutter whirred.

"Gah!" Max complained, hoping that she didn't look bad in the photo. "You could have given me a countdown!"

Chloe laughed, and it was so nice for Max to hear. She glared at her best friend from the side, waiting for the polaroid to develop in Chloe's palm so she could judge it.

"Yup, this one is going on the wall alright!"

Max could breathe a sigh of relief. The photo was nice; they were both smiling. Chloe had a natural knack for framing as well, it seemed.

"I'll allow it…" She muttered with fake distaste at Chloe's actions. Honestly, she was just so glad that she was having a good morning and it was all because of the blue-haired girl sitting right next to her.

She returned to finish the rest of her coffee as Chloe found the tape and placed the polaroid next to the others. Sipping the instant coffee mix she made a mental note that if they find a decent plunger for cheap _anywhere_ they would have to snap it up. Max was missing half-decent coffee.

 _Max, quit being such a freaking snob! Coffee is a luxury as is, you idiot._ She couldn't help but berate herself.

Sighing, she took another sip. Chloe really was right about her being a hipster, and she deserved to be called out for it. The couch seat dipped down next to her as Chloe joined her again with her new keychain in hand, mulling over it with her eyes and fingers.

 _I'm so glad she likes it. It's the very least I can do for her today._

A crease forms between Chloe's brows and Max notices she suddenly looked more serious while staring intently at the keychain. Her lips slightly part and she gasps, as if remembering something that shocked her. Max looks down at the bull, then back to Chloe, and the taller girl shrugs and shakes her head with a soft snort.

"Uh, Chloe? What is it?" Max prompted her, curious to find out what just crossed the girl's mind.

"It's just uh… I had a flashback. You know that nightmare I had last night?"

"Mhmm…?"

"I had a vision of a bull in blue blood. It's weird. Kinda looked like this."

"Huh. Oh. That is weird." Max isn't sure of what else to say and in any case Chloe continued to shrug her train of thought off.

"Just an interesting coincidence, I guess. Ha - not like we don't have our fair share 'weird' these days." Chloe smirks down at her, "Maybe we've been spending too much time together and I could just read your mind. _Maybe_ you're rubbing off some kind of telepathic power onto me, Caulfield."

"Ha. Yeah, right. Then again…maybe? I can promise you no mind-reading powers over hear, though. I'd hate to look into the weird and twisted mind of _Chloe Price."_ Max playfully teases.

"Oh god! No, you're right, you're far too innocent for my brain." Chloe sticks her tongue out. Max just snorts and rolls her eyes.

Hardwood floorboards creak as Chloe gets up and sanders her way across the room to unhook her car keys from the rack where they hang, then joins Max again so they could attach them to Chloe's present. They admire their handiwork together.

"There. Now I'll have no excuse to lose them." Chloe shakes the keys in front of them, then tucks them away in her jean pocket. Max has a thought and glances up at the clock on the wall.

"Oh, it's past noon. Do you…wanna go downstairs and visit the neighbor...?"

"Sure thing, SuperMax. I'm down for meeting this friend of yours," Chloe warmly replies. "It'll be nice."

* * *

When the apartment door below opens, they're greeted by a cheerful Ms. Dawkins wearing an adorable read and white Christmas sweater decorated with little pine trees and reindeer, matching red pants and a black apron covered in light splotches of what Max thought must be flour.

"Max!" The old lady beams and takes Max's hands in her own in a warm greeting, lightness in her eyes. She looks up to the taller girl behind her, whom Max could tell was shuffling a little awkwardly from side to side, and greets Chloe just as warmly. "And you must be Max's friend!"

"Chloe," The blue haired punk offers a hand, which is joyfully accepted too.

"Oh it's lovely to meet you, Chloe. You can call me Shelly. Come in, come in, don't be shy!" Shelly ushers them inside and closes the door behind them.

The first thing that hits Max is the overwhelming delicious scents of Christmas baking. The older woman's apartment is warm, bright and oh-so colorful. Walls were covered by photographs of smiling people, Max guessed must be Shelly's family, as well as artworks of painted landscapes. Bookcases in the corners overflow with books, and crocheted blankets covered furniture that Max knew would be much older than herself. The kitchenette in this apartment was on the opposite side of their own, the bench and table in front of it held plates of various foods.

It definitely felt like she had walked into a grandmother's home.

 _I wonder why she's alone when it seems like she must have family?_

"Sit, sit! Would you girls like some tea?" Shelly offered. Max and Chloe obliged by taking seats in the soft armchairs around the coffee table.

"I'd love some." Max replied.

"Yes, please." Chloe also said, clearly remembering her manners.

"It's so nice to get to know the neighbors." Shelly said as tinkered about in the cupboards. "When Max here said you guys were here alone in little ol' Fork River for Christmas, I knew I had to offer to let you girls come around."

"Oh that's… really nice of you." Chloe answers, slight tinge of surprise to her voice rather than awkwardness.

"Sugar and milk, girls?" Shelly asks.

"Ah, just milk. Thanks." Max said.

"Same here."

The older lady shuffled back over to them and handed them cup each, then went back to the kitchen and returned with one of her own and a plate of homemade cookies.

"Help yourself." She offered them, and Max and Chloe didn't hesitate to take up on the offer.

It turned out to be a really nice occasion, spending the afternoon with the older woman. Chloe warmed up to her just as easily as Max had the morning before, especially after Shelly complimented Chloe's azure-colored hair and made the punk girl blush.

 _Always has been quite the softy under the hardened exterior_ , Max thought.

They chatted about their neighbor's family. It turned out that the reason she was alone was because she no longer had a husband, and her only son had moved to live in England with his family and her grandchildren, so Christmas wasn't exactly easily spent together. Max was silently glad they had agreed to join her once Shelly brought out a family album, in typical proud-grandmother fashion, to excitedly show off photos of her grandchildren.

"Oh and Max, I forgot to mention, I framed that little photo you took of me yesterday as well. It's right up there on the shelf." Shelly grinned and pointed towards the wall where there was indeed a little, framed polaroid photograph. "Best portrait I've had in years, if I do say so myself!"

Max caught Chloe raising an eyebrow at her from the other armchair, but her smile had a hint of… pride in it towards Max?

It wasn't long before Ms. Dawkins announced that food for the three of them was ready, and plates were eagerly stacked up with an assortment of roasted vegetables, chicken and gravy, followed up by a fruit pie for dessert with cream. They laughed and talked and ate, and it was such a normal afternoon that Max found herself enjoying every moment of it. For a while, she forgot about everything that had occurred up until that moment of time and allowed herself to just _be._ And every now and then Chloe would share a knowing smile with her and Max's heart would just swell a little more each time.

After her talk with the older woman the morning before, Max was thankful that she hadn't brought up any questions about their storm-ruined home. And she didn't seem to pry too much in their lives, either. Instead, it was just an afternoon of sharing warmth, and joy, _and_ really delicious food that Max couldn't believe was so good. Shelly seemed to really love sharing stories and opening family albums and… it was really nice to have made a new friend.

They talked well into the late afternoon and both Max and Chloe offered to help clean up dishes in gratitude for everything that their neighbor had done for them. Eventually, after the loveliest of afternoons, Max decided it was time for the both of them to go when she noticed Chloe's half-lidded eyes dropping and a yawn escaping her lips. They thanked Shelly for her hospitality, and the older woman _insisted_ they not leave until they took a few plates of food with them. After all she couldn't finish the leftovers on her own and they were only a few steps away from each other, and that's how Max and Chloe found themselves balancing various baking goods and Christmas leftovers as they bid farewell and promised to visit again soon.

Neither girl spoke as they stored away the gifted food back into the apartment, and Max wondered what was on Chloe's mind when she wandered away into their bedroom while Max sat on the couch to make a phone call to her parents and fill them in on her day. She figured that Chloe would want some space for a while, and that was perfectly okay.

Max's parents were excited and still worried when they spoke, but today it was easier for her to quell their concerns over the phone. They expressed their gratitude that both Chloe and Max had company with a kind neighbor, however attempted once more for Max to consider coming home and bringing Chloe along with her.

She repeated what she told them on the phone the day before – that she wasn't ready to return just yet – but promised she would let them know when they would be. They said the word "okay" a lot, it was becoming a bit of a _thing_ between them, and talked for an hour or so about niceties and Christmas related things. No one brought up Arcadia Bay, which Max was grateful for.

When Max finally walked into the bedroom to check on Chloe, she had half-expected her best friend to have taken a nap. Instead she found blue-eyes wide awake and staring at the ceiling, cheeks damp and glistening with tears in the glow of the bedside light. Max sat on the edge of the bed and place a reassuring palm on Chloe's knee, unsure of any words that she could say, but the taller girl smiled and turned to look at her.

"Hey." Chloe softly greeted, then raised a hand to wipe the under of her eyes.

"Hi." Max softly returned with a gentle smile.

Chloe sat up and the next thing Max knew arms were wrapped around her and she was being pulled down onto the sheets with Chloe, blue eyes gazing into each other's. Chloe held her there for a minute before speaking, and when she did she sounded small and hoarse.

"I miss Mom and Dad." Chloe whispered, a simple statement which carried the weight of all the pain behind those tears.

Max could do nothing but rub her hand along a tattooed arm in support, watching her best friend carefully. "I know."

"Hmm." Chloe hummed. Max positioned herself carefully so she could rest her forehead against Chloe's, and just stared into her eyes with knowing.

"Thanks, Max, for today. I really needed it." Chloe's voice was barely a whisper, but her eyes were kind and earnest. Max nodded.

"Me too."

They didn't need to say any more and that. It was the mark of their relationship that after all those years so few words needed to be spoken in order for them to understand one another. Max held Chloe close and the both of them silently cried in arms holding warmth and love, support and protection.

 _Slowly, we will heal_.


	8. Chapter 8: New Again

**A/N:  
** _ **Okay so I'll be the first to admit I don't know the first thing about writing. This is my very first attempt at fan fiction. I found this chapter hard because I have no foundation on how to form what I write, so I'm just going with the flow because I have a story in mind and an adventure up ahead that I hope you'll stick around for so we can find out where this ends together. I am now considering if this wraps up the way I want it to, I will rewrite the entire fic from the beginning as a 'remastered' version.  
Props to you if you recognise one of the hidden references in here!  
I love hearing feedback from everyone and I hope you like the story as much as I enjoy exploring it!**_ **  
-FW**

The end of 2013 arrived faster than Chloe expected, and not a moment too soon.

Six days had come and gone after Christmas uneventfully -thankfully- in Chloe's eyes. Max was doing better than before, and Chloe noticed that sunken eyes had begun to look more rested, her chin was held that little bit higher as she walked, her blue eyes sparking every now and then with captivation at their surroundings, enraptured by things the brunette curiously regarded for photography. There had been no new nightmares for either of them, and the neighbor downstairs, Shelly Dawkins, had ensured they couldn't starve even if they tried by bestowing them with gifts of home-baked goods to the point where clothes were beginning to fit properly again.

That isn't to say that everything was perfect, but Chloe was finding it better. It was slightly easier to take a deep breath in and not feel the weight of anxiety crushing her lungs, at least less and less so, and when her bones once felt like they were filled with mud she now felt lighter. She was starting to relax the tenseness in her mind and in her muscles a little more so, just a little bit, and the moments which brought her a sense of normalcy were occurring more often.

Chloe had spent the past six days adventuring with Max. Small adventures, if you could call their outings around the town that, but adventures nonetheless. They perused the shops out of curiosity and had even found a few books at the second-hand shop to read for a dollar or two. It gave them something that they could do when they were holed up in their empty apartment, avoiding the cold outdoors, aside from playing cards until they were fed up with the limited few games they both knew. Turns out there are only so many times they could play Go Fish before Max will exclaim "Go Fuck Yourself" and toss the cards in a fit of laughter and frustration, much to Chloe's amusement.

As it turns out: it snows _a lot_ in the mountains come wintertime, so they were forced to go by foot everywhere around the town Fork River because Chloe's beaten up rust bucket of a truck was always under a mound of snow, and she definitely had no snow tires for that ex-junkyard beast. All was fine however because it allowed Chloe to spend more time exploring with Max, and it wasn't as if the town they were residing in was large by any means. It was also stunning, and for someone like Chloe who had spent her entire life in a seaside town where snow never quite settled down to sea-level, she was amazed by the amount of snow. There was something about the winter light that captured her eye and she could understand the appeal of being a photographer in a scenic hamlet like this.

They had even dropped by their downstairs neighbor for a visit or three, an activity that Chloe could see brought delight to the smaller girl, and anything that made Max come out of her shell with a smile made Chloe happy too. It was good for the both of them.

Max had dutifully been keeping in touch with her parents daily, as promised, and sometimes Chloe lay in bed listening to Max's side of the conversation from the other room. Mostly it was positive but every now and then she could hear the tension in Max's voice as a sensitive subject arose, the Caulfield's were clearly making an effort to keep the peace when Ryan and Vanessa wanted their daughter home dearly. Max would quickly play the "I am an adult over eighteen" card when that topic arose. Chloe often thought about her parents too after listening in, and what it would have been like to have _them_ on the other end of a phone call with herself. She could not help but let her mind wander every night before falling asleep to thoughts of her Mom, Dad and even stepfather, holding Max tight for as much her own selfish comfort and support as protection for nightmares that threatened to return.

During the aftermath of the storm Chloe had been too in shock to deal with her parental figures inevitable death, and had focused her energy instead on keeping Max's head above the waters, so to speak. Aside from that moment in the motel room where she had screamed, raged, and collapsed in typical old-Chloe fashion – her usual coping mechanisms for depression leaking and pouring out in one go – she bottled her mourning to deal with in quiet moments where no one would bear witness. Max had been the one who pulled her down onto the bed and comforted her that time, and ever since the storm that had ravaged inside Chloe since she was fourteen had grown ever calmer.

She had come to realize just how much Max had changed everything for her. Not just in terms of her life, but also her actual being. For years all Chloe had known was anger; her main form of expressing the dark, swirling vortex that was her mind. She had known how to build impenetrable walls and fight, pushing people away and shutting people out, never letting anyone in enough to know the truth. She would take her emotions out on her mother, blame her father for his own death because it meant leaving her behind to deal with the William-shaped void in her life, and refused to accept her step-father who didn't help by being the type of person who would push her back and dismiss her. Even Rachel Amber had encouraged her rough and rowdy ways, almost enabling Chloe's darkest sides at times (unintentionally or not), together raising hell in their own little worlds.

Though with Max Caulfield it was like finding her anchor for the storm – no reference or pun intended. Max brought Chloe back down to earth and makes her see a whole other perspective to things that she most likely would not have considered alone. She would do it by seeing Chloe for who she truly is and who she has always been, and makes Chloe feel like she is honestly _believed in_. Genuinely _loved._ Makes Chloe _feel_ that someone in this fucked-up world has her back and understands her, and does so it with methods so subtle sometimes that maybe Max doesn't even realise she was helping Chloe until it's better, because she was just being herself. And that's without having to tear time and space apart to reverse Chloe's pain and _death._ Max was broken by the world too, yet she always does the right thing at the right time which grounds Chloe before she gets too lost in her own doings.

Chloe misses her mother dearly every day, with every shaking breath and silent prayer, and it was with a sense of disbelief that she will enter 2014 an orphan. A whole new year of history without Joyce Madsen-Price. They never had found her body, or rather her remains, in the torn and ravaged ashes of the Two Whales Diner in Arcadia Bay. David, Chloe's step-father, was presumed dead and permanently missing, as were the majority of bay residents who never evacuated in time. For similar reasons as to why Max couldn't bring herself to go back home to Seattle until she was ready, Chloe hadn't been able to bring herself to join her family's memorial service for her parents just outside of Arcadia when the time had come.

She didn't want to be in the presence of her mourning extended family when at the back of her head she knew that they might all be alive if she _, Chloe,_ had died at the hands of Nathan Prescott in the bathroom of Blackwell Academy instead.

She will say her proper goodbyes one day when she was ready, and it will be something personal that she is determined to do _right_ by her mother.

That's part of the effect Maxine-freaking-Caulfield has on her. Her best friend who was all-so-super inspired Chloe to want to be a better person. And with each day that passed, it got better. Living, surviving, whatever best describes what they are doing - _i_ _t gets better._ Max makes Chloe feel like she doesn't have to hate herself, or at the very least not all of the time. Max makes Chloe feel like maybe there truly is a reason for her to still be alive. Especially when her chest glows with warmth and she can use her arms to hold Max tight in the dead of night, quelling nightmares haunting from the depths of a week horror, where Chloe can protect her from any harm so long as she is there. She's aware that with all the fire in her heart if anything or anyone brought harm to Max, Chloe would rip the world apart with her own two hands.

Chloe's self-destruction was becoming a thing of the past and without the anger fueling her every self-deprecating thought ruling her mind and her life, she's allowed to just _be_ with her true emotions. She can just lay in somberness and it was no longer so frightening to deal with whatever comes her way. Not like it used to be, in any case. It allowed her to truly reflect on the person she was becoming, the person she was always was meant to be before the world took a dump on her.  
 _  
As-fucking-deep as that sounds._

They could never be children again, pretending to be pirates or painting murals in the backyard, or pushing each other on swing-sets as high as it would allow. Those little girls were long gone; they grew up through heartache and loss, death and destruction, and the _freaking impossible, man._ After the incredulous experiences Max and Chloe had suffered and _barely survived,_ she had to admit they were changed people and there was no going back- only forward.  
 _  
And how fucking insignificant all those years in-between seem now. One week made 5 years feel like a blip. It was all that was needed to turn my life upside down.  
_  
She had to admit to herself that with all the time she's had on her hands to reflect, that she wants to do right by her mother and father, hell, even her stepfather, from now on. All of them had wanted the best for Chloe (even if David had a terrible way of expressing it), and while she's here and they're elsewhere watching down on her for all she was acutely aware. The existence of time-travel had Chloe questioning if there was an afterlife to look forward to, it no longer seems a stretch, even if she held no religious beliefs as a science-nerd in her youth. Perhaps she was becoming agnostic. She'd reflected on her behaviour that, _hell,_ she'd even included Max in on for a brief time. Stealing thousands of dollars in cash from a school? Getting mixed up with drug dealers? The raging and disappearing on Joyce all the time? She had nearly been as imperfect as she could possible get.

Chloe had briefly wondered if her father's grave had survived the destruction of the tornado in Arcadia Bay's cemetery. She'd wondered if she had died before that Friday in October, would she have been buried next to him. _William Price and his daughter, Chloe_. What would her father have thought of her if he had re-appeared in her life that week much like Max had? What would he have thought of his perfect little girl, middle-school science athlete and school fair winner, with blue hair, tatts and punk clothes confronting a psycho rich-boy with a gun to con him out of money during the lowest point of her life? All because she just wanted to get the hell out of there.

 _Dad probably would have liked that I was expressing myself, he was so supportive of me like that. He would have liked the blue hair, made fun of my clothes in a light way, and probably would even have grown to like the sleeve over time. Then because he was basically the most understanding father in the world, he would have held me tight and stopped me from destroying myself by encouraging the better side of me.  
_

 _He would have been disappointed, shit, he would have told me to get my fucking act together.  
_

 _But he would have loved me anyway. Nothing would have stopped him from loving me._

Chloe sniffed and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. She was finding it easier every day to not have to crawl up into a ball and sob.

 _It's good,_ she thought. _I'm getting better at this._

After all: hindsight is 20/20.

Guilt had been creeping up, as it always does, when she thinks about her mother Joyce dying in that diner. She hoped that wherever she was now that it was peaceful and loving and nothing like the cruel world that had conjured up a tornado (for _whatever-fucking-reason_ the universe had for it) that took her away from Chloe. It was also with a painful stab of regret that Chloe's mother had died with the knowledge that her daughter was a highschool drop-out rebel who spent all her time smoking and breaking the law.  
 _  
And nothing short of a fuck up._

As undeserving as Chloe had felt about the person she was before her mother's untimely death, Joyce had loved her unconditionally. _And fuck-it if I let her memory go to waste!_ The more Chloe learned about herself through being by Max's side recently, the more she was inspired to do something about it. Like she had said to Max in the diner: they've just got to keep moving forward.

If anything, she could always just be a better person for Max. She owed it to Max's love and loyalty that she was still kicking it around, anyway. With every moment they shared she was learning more about what it was like to truly care in trust in someone who had all the power the power to hurt her and trust that she wouldn't.

Speaking of the devil, Max snapped her out of her reverie by walking into the bedroom whilst humming to herself. Chloe had been lost in thought while fully dressed and laying on the bed waiting for Max to get out of the shower so they could get ready for another late-night adventure. It was just after ten on New Year's Eve and they wanted to do something special for the occasion by joining the festivities in the town square where posters around town promised a small firework display. Max had pointed out that it might be a nice photographic opportunity when she had brought it up that morning.

Max stood at the end of the bed directing a raised eyebrow at Chloe below. _Always intuitive, this one,_ Chloe remarked. She could tell that Max always knew when she was deep in some serious whirlpool of thoughts. As if on cue, the girl softly spoke.

"You alright there, Chlo?"

No use denying anything, they were meant to be working on being honest for each other.

"Just uh… re-evaluating life and the shit that's gone down this year, I guess. New Year's vibes." Chloe confessed.

Max nodded but didn't press any further. Chloe forced herself to sit up and watch the smaller girl shuffle through their floor-drobe for her coat and winter accessories. They were going to need it, it was a pretty chilly night. Chloe had even stuffed the blanket from her truck in a backpack as an extra measure to help keep them warm, and was wearing her beanie and a few extra layers under her own jacket. When Max found what she had been looking for, equipped herself with her usual messenger bag and camera, she approached Chloe's side with an outstretched arm and warm smile.

"You ready?" She asked.

Chloe smiled back and took her hand, allowing Max to pull her up off the bed.

"Yup! Let's go!"

Frigid air seeped through Chloe's lungs and she half-trudged a few steps ahead of Max, eager to conjure up some warmth before her teeth fell out from all the chattering. They weren't talking, which wasn't negative at all, since comfortable silences were their thing. It came with knowing someone for over half of the years of your life.

Halfway to their destination she couldn't bear it any longer and she was silently regretting not wearing even more clothing, and she looked to Max who seemed to be doing fine.

"Hey, come here." Chloe leaned towards Max, catching her by surprise.

"Huh, wha-" Max uttered out as the taller girl linked her arm through her own and pulled her close.

"I'm freezing, gimme some of your warmth." She grinned, and Max laughed as she allowed Chloe to pull her close .

"Yeah, yeah okay, here." Max unlinked her arm and instead wrapped it under her jacket and around Chloe's waist, snuggling a bit closer until they were practically flush against each other while walking. "Better?"

"Much." Chloe agreed, and they kept walking that way. She didn't know quite why the action was making a slight blush rise on her cheeks, but hell if she could help it, she thank god Max couldn't see it in this light. It wasn't as if they hadn't walked with their arms around each other before, though.

"That's good. I don't want you to be cold." Max said.

"It's a good thing I have my own little space heater." Chloe joked.

Max snorted. "Ha! Ohh, so, is that why I'm here?" She jeered in classic Caulfield sarcasm.

"Nah, you're also nice to look at." Chloe winked.

 _What the hell, Price?  
_  
Max made a weird sound that sounded half-scoff and half-laugh and didn't say anything, yet looked up to her with a sheepish grin.

 _Wait, is she blushing? No, Chloe you idiot. It's just cold. Change the topic._

"I, uh, I've been thinking. About things. Kinda like a New Year's resolution thing." The words came out unsure. Max's expression changed to something more quizzical as she looked at Chloe.

"Hmm? I didn't think New Year's resolutions were a Chloe Price thing." She stated, but it wasn't unkindly. It was a gentle, curious.

"Yeah you're right. I don't. But this is more like…" she waved her hand in the air but wasn't sure how to finish the sentence, "Um. I just have some things on my mind that I really wanna do, and like, it's important to me that I do them. Or at least...try."

"Oh." Max said. "Oh, like what?"

Max raised her brows with a little surprise in her eyes. Chloe suddenly felt nervous, as she always did when it came to opening up about something she considered vulnerable about herself. It must have showed since Max softened and followed up, "Whatever you want to tell me, I'll listen Chlo. I'm always here for you."

 _Yeah, you always are Max._

"I'm just, like, so fucking glad this year has come to an end. And I get to see what the hell twenty-fourteen is going to be like. I know it's not gonna be great, it might even be worse – if that's even possible - but even so…" -she shrugged- "...I just want to do something good. Something I can show for myself. You've helped me see that, you know?"

Yup, Chloe's cheeks are definitely red now, but it's dark out and hopefully the streetlights are washing out the color in her face. The look Max has now isn't of pity, like she expects. Instead her eyes are searching Chloe's as if she sees something…hopeful.

More quietly she explains herself.

"I-I've been thinking about Mom a lot, and how much she worked just to look out for me, you know? Aaand I've never had a job before. I've been thinking I'm gonna try and find a job in this weird town. Then maybe we can stay a bit longer and I dunno, maybe I could work at the grocery store or something. We're running low on cash, and I think it'll help, you know?" Chloe mentally notes that she inserts "ya know" into her dialogue whenever she's nervous. "I've never had a job before. Not a real one at least, not one that didn't involve doing jobs for Frank... It'll give me something to do, then maybe I wont feel so bad about living off money that isn't mine…"

Chloe wants to cringe at how much truth she feels in that statement. She feels a hand grasp her own softly, and she looks down in surprise as Max pulls them to a stop.

"Chloe…" Max starts, then seems to shake a thought off before continuing. "You don't have to...you really want to get a job here?"

"Yeah. Why not? Do you want to leave?" Chloe asks.

Max shakes her head. "No. No, I like it here. It's kinda nice. And I'm tired of living on the road, and tired of always moving, and it's good to just be able to stay put and-" she frowns and cuts herself off with a sigh. "...but… I don't know. You'd really do that?" It's not a tone of disbelief, more like concern for Chloe.

"Yeah, Max. I really do want to do that. I'm not doing it out of guilt, or anything. Well, sorta. But I really want to find a job. Also, I had an idea."

"An idea? What's the idea?" Max asks.

There's a flashback in Chloe's mind of a time when she sat at the wheel of an RV, dreaming about driving up the coast of Big Sur while Max joked about kissing her again.

Then another of youthful versions of themselves playing on a swing-set, where Max wants Chloe to be her bodyguard whilst she took pictures of their adventures, traveling the world far away from Arcadia Bay.

"Well I thought that maybe if I could save up some money then we could buy a cheap van. Do it up a little, make it self-sufficient and shit. I could sell off my hunk of rust from Arcadia Bay, then maybe we could travel, just you and I. Start seeing the world. You know…" she shrugs one shoulder, "Just like we said when we were kids."

Max is blinking rapidly, and Chloe thinks that perhaps this was a stupid idea to bring up. She is once again surprised when the smaller girl wraps her arms around her waist and leans into her.

"When we were kids... y-yeah, I remember that. Dog, that feels like such a long time ago." Max looks up and it's the way that those freckles sort of glow in the light that makes Chloe's heart skips a beat. "It sounds like a great idea, Chloe. I would love that."

"Y-yeah. Ahem. I know how you have always wanted to travel. Probably time, don't you think?"

"I guess there's nothing stopping us." She replies thoughtfully with a smile.

That cheeky Max Caulfield smile that hasn't changed since they were kids. Chloe has to be careful not to get too lost in it, or she's going to end up looking like a creep.

She leans back into the hug, then lets out a small laugh to lighten the mood. "It's just an idea. We can still go with the flow. Anyway c'mon, I'm still freezing my butt off here. Let's get there before it starts without us."

"Ditto, I'm down."

* * *

Chloe decides that she wants to leave the rest of the year on a lighter note.

So when they reach the park, bubbling with the noise of a large crowd and music and illuminated by bright lights, they spend an hour sharing lighthearted banter and laughter. They find hot food and drinks, warmth radiating from the packaging and thawing chilled fingers, and Max giggles when Chloe gets ketchup on her nose from a stray chip she accidentally dislodged too quickly from the box. Max's sweet laughter causes flutters in Chloe's chest, but she guises the emotion with a typical sly Chloe grin and attempt to paint a freckled brunette's nose to match. She swears those playful protests could make her start a fire with the heat that rises in her chest with joy.

She'd half-expected Max to have taken a photo by then and when she asks, Max shrugs and points out that her film was about to run out and she wanted to save it for the perfect shot that night.

"I want to take one last photo for this year and I want it to be right, something special." Max explains.

Chloe figured she was waiting for the fireworks to start.

With only half an hour of the year left they manage to find a spot to sit and wait for the display. A little way up the hill and sheltered by the edge of the trees, the ground was dry enough and without fresh snow for Chloe to lay her blanket down. At first they sat down next to each other but as soon as Max shivered and Chloe admitted to still being cold, she pulled the smaller girl into her lap so she could hug her from behind and wrap the sides of the blanket over their legs.

"This okay?" Max asked, hinting concern that she was nervous of making Chloe uncomfortable. Always looking out for Chloe more than she does herself.

Chloe was more than comfortable, though. With Max in her arms she was beginning to feel warmer, and she had to admit, nothing felt more right to her than holding Max close. It's the number one thing that keeps Chloe grounded.

"Never better, you?"

"Snug as a bug in a rug." Max jokes, and Chloe can feel her laughter against her own chest.

"Dork."

That just elicits more snickers. She could swear, Max likes that pet name more than anything else.

They had a good view from their little spot on the hill and they will be able to see everything for the countdown. Chloe notices Max fidgeting with her camera in her hands.

"What are you thinking now, Max?" She asks.

"I think I've decided what I want my final photo to be this year." Max answers.

"Oh? Is it of the fireworks, 'cause that would be pretty cool."

"No," Max moves a hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. "I've decided that I want my last photo of the year to be of us."

 _Oh._

Max continues,"I just think it's the only apropos thing to do. I'm really glad you're here with me, Chlo. I'm glad we get to be together, right now, after everything, and I wouldn't trade you for anything." The last part of that sentence is spoken so quietly but with such conviction it causes Chloe to blink a few times. Her stomach does a little flip as Max turns her head to meet her eyes."You're the most important thing in my life."

 _Oh, Max._

Chloe realises her mouth has dropped open in surprise, so she shuts it with a little heat rushing to her cheeks. She smiles back at Max, "I better not mess it up with a stupid expression this time, huh?"

That makes Max laugh again, "Dog, yes. I think we have enough photos of dumb faces. Not that there's anything dumb with your face."

"Hey!" Chloe huffs, trying to look indignant, but fails at Max's sly grin. She can't even fake anger at Max, not right now. "Okay, so we pose nice for this one. I'm ready when you are, Super Max."

The small brunette shuffles down a bit and Chloe tucks her chin over Max's shoulder so they're both level height. Max is raising her arm attempting to guess the right position, while Chloe is a bit distracted by the heat of Max's cheek, the closeness of their faces, the way the low night lights fall across her face-

"Alright," Max warns, "Three. Two-"

Chloe raises her eyes from Max and flashes a toothy grin just in time for the "-One! Smile!"

 _CLICK. Whirrr._

"Three minutes to go 'til the countdown!" A speaker announces across the crowd, and Chloe checks her phone just as Max removes the polaroid with one hand to let it develop. Sure enough ' _11.57 PM'_ flashes across the screen, and Max murmurs, "Didn't realise it was so soon already."

A feeling of anticipation rises from Chloe's gut and she realises, if only for a moment, that she's both incredibly nervous and excited for this year to end.

"I'm so ready for this year to be over." She sighs in admission.

Max sets her camera aside and shifts in Chloe's lap to look back up at her, and she can't read what Max is thinking but the way she's looking at her right then steals Chloe's breath away.

Because she swears those wide, blue eyes are telling a story even though Max doesn't utter a word; a tale of joy and sorrow, longing and care, and her eyes are so _deep_ that Chloe's worried she could get lost -even drown- in them as she stares back. It's that look that suddenly causes a shiver to run down Chloe's spine, not because she's cold but because it feels like she's glowing from the inside out.

And she realizes that it's that _look_ that makes her glad that she's still there, alive, heart beating and breathing and with Max in her arms.

Glad to be with Max, a girl with the power of a _god_ , who happens to fit perfect and snug into Chloe's chest when she wraps her arms around that small frame. Chloe realises she would do anything, _anything,_ to protect Max and keep her safe, to make her laugh and smile, to make her feel _loved._

Because nothing feels so right to Chloe as holding Max and looking into those eyes. She's searching that freckled face and all she's finding is Max, her best friend, her partner in crime and time, the one reason she's still there to send off the year.

Chloe knows she's right where she's meant to be. She doesn't feel nervous any more.

She just feels love.

A countdown rises from the crowd and Max breaks contact to look to all the people, _"-fifty-six – fifty-five – fifty-four -"  
_ Chloe doesn't want to lose sight of those eyes.

"Max."

Blue-on-blue searching once again.

"Chloe?"

"- _forty-eight – forty-seven – forty-six–"_

She has a flashback to an October morning, standing in front of Max in the hazy light of her bedroom.

" _I dare you to kiss me."  
"What?"  
"I double-dog dare you, kiss me now."_

"-thirty-five – thirty-four – thirty-three –"

Max is waiting for her, patiently.  
 _  
Screw the odds, the science, let's just live._

"Will you be my New Year's Kiss?"

"- _twenty-nine – twenty-eight – twenty-seven –"_

Those glistening eyes widen, but only for a second, before Max breaks out the most radiant smile.

Chloe's heart truly skips a beat or several, and she forgets how to breathe.

"- _nineteen – eighteen – seventeen –"_

Max's smile is warm. It's endearing. Loving.

It's a smile that Chloe has loved for years, and it's a smile that Chloe could melt into given the chance.

It's Max.

Chloe's heart is thudding against her chest so enthusiastically that for a split second she can't believe she ever truly died, not in any timeline or alternate reality, because she's never felt so damn _alive._

" _-ten – nine – eight –"  
_  
Oh no, Chloe is _definitely_ not breathing when a small, soft hand cups her cheek. Max's face comes up to meet hers, and Chloe could count every freckle if she wanted to and, instinctively, eyelids fall to half-mast.

Unlike that lazy morning in her bedroom in October, Chloe does not pull away this time.

 _Three..._

Two…

One-

Neither of them quite notice the lightning in the distance disguised by the explosions in the sky above.

Chloe and Max welcome the new year with a kiss.


	9. Chapter 9: In Retrospect

_**January 1st, 2014**_

 _Wowser._

 _I can't believe we made it to 2014. That makes it seem more real. Somehow, Chloe and I really will get to see a new year._

 _Chloe gave me this new journal, which was so so thoughtful of her. It's really gorgeous, leather bound and moleskin pages. She told me she saw my old one was full and went out to get me this one so I can fill the pages in with new drawings and memories. I haven't sketched in a long time, maybe I can start again? Chloe still thinks I should write down all the good stuff to help me keep track of all the good times, and all the bad stuff too so I can help stay grounded._

 _New year, new journal, new memories, new…life._

 _It's only fitting the first memory I will journal is a happy one. I never want to forget last night. I want to be able to remember it whenever I need a moment to smile. _

_Last night was like… finally finding the matching puzzle piece after trying to force the wrong ones to fit together. I guess I don't know how else to describe it? Like something finally fell into place… for both Chloe and I._

 _Chloe told me on the way to the park that she wants to get a job here in Fork River so we can keep our apartment, and save up for a van to live and travel in. I love that idea, getting to see the world with Chloe? That's been the dream since we were kids. But she's also finding out what she wants to do to help get her life back together. If that's finding a job and working to fix up a van then I'm going to support all her choices the way she always supports mine._

 _The rest of the night was so much fun. Lots of laughter and good vibes. We found a spot we could actually sit with our blanket with a good view just beneath the trees, and Chloe wrapped us up and me in her arms. It always makes my stomach do flips when she does it, I feel so relaxed like that. Getting to hear her heartbeat – it reminds me it's real and she's alive and with me._

 _I took a photo of us because the last thing I want to remember of 2013 is how much I'm grateful that we're still here. She's the most important thing in my life._

 _I heard Chloe sigh just after they announced the countdown and she had this look on her face…that made me think of a soldier who had just been told they could go home after war. I guess Chloe has been in a war of her own for a long time – the universe tried to tear her life apart so many times. It took away her friends, family and her home. I'm probably just as much to blame for that. She looked so sad and tired, and my chest hurt. I just wanted to see her smile again. I wanted Chloe to see what I could see – how strong she is, how beautiful and how much she means to me._

 _Chloe was looking at me before the crowd started counting down and her eyes were so intense. She stared at me and I had this feeling of warmth and peace and… acceptance. I'd let the world fall apart all over again just to keep looking into her eyes, I've said it before and I'll say it again._

 _When Chloe asked me to be her New Year's Kiss I didn't hesitate. Not like in her bedroom, back in October, when she dared me for a peck on the lips. This would be different. And Chloe makes me… brave. I already knew I would do it and would never be afraid to kiss Chloe Price ever again._

 _People say that a true first kiss with someone you love feels like fireworks going off. I didn't know it could be so intense when real life fireworks are actually going off. I could barely hear them anyway, nor the people cheering and clapping in the crowd. I hardly even saw them until we parted for a moment to look at each other. I'll never forget the way colors of red, blue and white reflected in those sparkling blue eyes._

 _I had to remember to breathe when Chloe smiled at me like she'd won the world._

 _She laughed kinda breathlessly herself and said that she kinda wished she had her own rewind powers so she could relive that again._

 _The old Max Caulfield probably would have blushed at Chloe's joke and said something stupid and evasive. The new Max said something I think surprised the both of us a little. I gently pulled her chin down with my hand and told her she doesn't need powers to kiss me pressed our lips together._

 _It was even better the second time._

 _I could have lived in that moment for infinity. I kinda did wish I could freeze time, selfishly, just for a moment. Remember the way Chloe's lips felt against mine, the way neither of us could stop smiling and I could actually feel it, the way my arms wrapped around her shoulders and I could feel hers around my waist and… like I said it felt like when two correct puzzle pieces fit into place._

 _I can't remember who started laughing first or if we both started laughing at the same time. We couldn't stop once we started. At first it was giggling and we looked at each other with big grins on our faces then simultaneously burst into a fit of laughter. We laughed and laughed like idiots and I felt like I was floating, my cheeks hurt from smiling._

 _She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me down and we kept laughing on the blanket for what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes. I haven't seen Chloe that happy since we were kids and that brings me more joy than I have words for. We didn't have to speak. I forgot about the rest of the world and just enjoyed having our own moment that nothing, not even the universe, could take away from us._

 _We kissed again on the way home while holding hands underneath the streetlights._

 _And again when we got back to the apartment._

 _I had to wonder why we hadn't kissed before all of this. I knew I always wanted to. I guess…it was all about timing._  
 _When we got changed and ready for bed I asked her if we should talk._  
 _Chloe just had this knowing look and said that we didn't need to right then. We had all the time in the world to talk and figure things out, together._

 _Of course she's right._

 _I guess we couldn't help it when we started laughing all over again. Or kissing a few more times. It felt like such a relief to, finally… I confessed that I felt like I was in a dream. Chloe wrapped her arms around me and said that if it was then she hoped we both would remember it when we woke up, but either way there was another day ahead of us and it didn't seem so shitty anymore to have something else to look forward to._

 _Oh, Chloe. I'm with you on that one._

* * *

 _ **January 3rd, 2014**_

 _Chloe has been like a different person in the last three days. I guess we both have been. I still feel like I'm dreaming whenever I kiss her, but nothing feels more natural. But Chloe… when we kiss it's like I get to see a whole other side to her. She smiles bright like a kid, like she's never been hurt. It's only for a moment but I can tell it makes her happy. And if kissing Chloe makes her happy then I might never stop. Seeing her smile is one of my favorite things in the world._

 _I never knew waking up to someone could be so sweet. Especially because it's just us in our own little world._

 _I wonder how long this will last, this little bubble of ours. I think that today Chloe must have been thinking the same thing._

 _When I woke up this morning Chloe told me she had a dream. Another one about Joyce; Chloe got to see her again at the Two Whales diner and they just talked like mother and daughter used to. I was worried at first because Chloe was crying while she told me about the dream, but she reassured me that it was happy tears. I'm still worried if she is okay but I'm sure she'd tell me if she wasn't. She said it inspired her and she wanted to let me know she was going to go for a walk on her own and clear her head._

 _I stayed home and read a copy of 'Into the Wild' that we found at the second-hand shop. Well, I tried to, but my anxiety flared up like it always does when Chloe and I are apart. It's stupid, I know, but ever since that week I worry something might happen to her. It's been getting better after that morning I saw the doe but today I just couldn't relax, as if it was the first time Chloe had gone out to do something. I had to keep reminding myself that it's only healthy and normal to have alone time and there was nothing to be worried about._

 _I had to stop myself from tackling the poor girl as soon as she walked back through the door but she smiled and pulled me into a short embrace, and as soon as her lips touched mine I could feel the anxiety melting away. Chloe told me that she'd gone to see if anyone had any jobs but most people are still on holiday in this sleepy town since shops are still shut, so she said she had some time to think._

 _She sat me down on the couch and told me that she wants to find out what happened in Arcadia Bay after we left. We've both been ignoring all of our texts or messages, worried voicemails, and neither of us have been on social media since. Even the thought of it makes me shake and I got a bit distant, so Chloe kissed me and it was like everything came back into focus then. She really knows how to ground me even if I can get lost in her eyes._

 _I admitted that I feel really bad that the only messages I've read or replied to are from my parents. I'm too scared to find out who sent me something…or who could never text me again. I'm also scared of what I might do if I finally know. I've been so selfish building this bubble around us while ignoring the rest of the world. I'm scared of falling apart and I'm scared of hurting Chloe even more than I already have._

 _It's like Chloe can read my mind sometimes because she held my hand and told me that we didn't have to do it today, but we should find out soon even if it's one step at a time. Chloe said we'd do it together, just like how it was when I called my parents, and whatever happens we'll get through it._

 _I trust her, we're going to have to start facing reality again if we want to move on._

* * *

 _ **January 5th 2014**_

 _I fought with my parents today. And cried a lot. God, Max. You really are a mess._

 _I know I can't blame them for how they feel. I know they love me and that they're great parents. I know I've hurt them so much just like I've fucking hurt so many people and destroyed-_

 _Shit._

 _I'm going to stop there before I get too deep into that. Chloe's been trying so hard to stop me from talking to myself that way, and I have to admit all it does it pull me down deeper into this darkness._

 _Fuck._

 _Okay, first – I'll write about the good things that happened today before I forget._

 _Our lovely neighbor Ms. Hawkins visited today with some more food for us. She made us this casserole and it really was delicious, Chloe and I had some for lunch. She's so sweet and caring, I think she wants to cook for us all the time because she misses her family. She told me a week ago that she thought I was a bit too skinny and if I were her granddaughter she'd cook for my every meal. She wasn't wrong – I had lost a lot of weight, and I've managed to put on enough that I am starting to look normal again. The world needs more people like Shelly. Chloe really likes her too._

 _Chloe and I went for a walk around town on a job search and it was really nice. We held hands and dreamed up ideas for ridiculous jobs we'd both do if we could. There was the obvious of the dreams we had as kids – Captain Chloe and First Mate Max, Chloe the Bodyguard and Max the world-traveling Photographer. It was fun, imagining a future with no limits._

 _We went into that diner we spent Christmas Eve in and asked the waitress if she knew any work available. She said that they didn't have any jobs open but that she remembered there was a laundromat around that was advertising a while back. We thanked her for the heads up and as we left she gave us this bizzaro look and for some reason it's bothered me a little. Was it because Chloe and I were holding hands? I get that this is a small town and all…_

 _Turned out the waitress was right and we found the laundromat with a 'Help Wanted' sign on the door. The woman working there at the desk said to come back tomorrow though, because the boss was off and he would be the one to talk to._

 _It was when we got back to the apartment that I called my parents like I do most days to keep them sane. I know they've been putting on a façade when they talk to me, calling almost every day is part of our negotiation so they won't come looking for me and take me back to Seattle, and they've been trying not to push anything so they can keep in contact with me. I know that I can't blame them for wanting me to come home._

 _Mom let me know that she discovered that the few surviving Blackwell Academy students all receive an automatic pass for their year and a full GED. Turns out that's what happens when your school and all its reports and documents get sucked into a murderous vortex – you pass. Who knew?_

 _I don't think anyone was expecting how angry I would get when mom tried to use it as an excuse for me to come home and use the 'free time' to look into colleges in Seattle. I don't think even I thought I would get so mad. Before I really registered what was coming out of my mouth, we were in a full-blown argument. We were swearing and yelling at each other… and crying…Then mom started begging with me all over again and I said again I wasn't ready and we argued back and forth until I screamed. Rage just took over._

 _I don't remember what was said any more. Mom didn't deserve it._

 _It's all one sick joke, right?_  
 _My classmates die when I get time-traveling powers and just because I lived when a tornado destroyed Blackwell I still get to go to university? Hah._

 _Fuck you, universe._

 _I can't even remember hanging up or collapsing on the floor, falling apart. But I do remember Chloe throwing the door open in nothing but a towel. She was soaking wet with conditioner still in her hair and had bolted out mid-shower because of my screaming. Which made me feel even more guilty, I made my mom cry and now Chloe was scared too. I cried even more because of that._

 _I forget how strong Chloe is. She managed to wrap her arms under me and lift me onto the bed. She rocked me back and forth until I calmed down. I didn't even mind her hair dripping shower-water on my clothes. I wanted to apologize but I couldn't, I couldn't say anything. She asked me what was wrong but I wasn't able to find the right words. I was scared to say the wrong ones and hurt her._

 _Chloe found this journal and gave it to me. She thinks if I write instead of talking I might be able to figure out what I want to say. She's right, and I'm writing this while I wait for her to get out of the shower. I wonder if Chloe ever kept a journal? She definitely knows what she's talking about. We'll talk about it all when she gets out._

 _I'm gonna have to text mom and apologize later. She deserves better._

* * *

 _ **January 6th 2014**_

 _Chloe got the job!_

 _I have to admit I'm pretty proud of her. It's her first 'real' job. She seems pretty happy about it too. It's five days a week and it's mostly cleaning, desk and helping people out with their laundry. It doesn't seem like it will be hard on her either. I have confidence she'll be just fine._

 _We went back to the laundromat in the morning and asked for the boss, who happened to be the only person there anyway. A guy called Dave. He seemed really surprised to see Chloe – I think it's the blue hair. Fork River is not a punk scene. But they went out back and he interviewed her on the spot while I guarded the front and when she came out she gave me the thumbs up and a grin. She'll be starting tomorrow for a couple hours while they show her the ropes._

 _Who would have thought getting a job at a laundromat would be so exciting? Chloe even said they're paying enough for us to get by with rent – apparently they were pretty desperate since the girl who used to work there got pregnant and had to move._

 _After our talk last night it was really good to have something to celebrate, no matter how small. I even snapped a photograph of her grinning and pointing to the store-front signage to remember this milestone – she even wrote on the back of the polaroid:_

 _'Chloe Price – EMPLOYED!'_

* * *

 _ **January 7th 2014**_

 _I woke up today to a smiling Chloe gifting me with kisses and pancakes in bed._

 _Dog, I don't think that smile will ever stop melting my heart. It was a while before I actually got to eat them – we couldn't stop laughing and rolling over with morning kisses. I never thought making out would be like this._

 _Chloe had her first day of work today so I had four hours to myself. She encouraged me to make the most of it and do something productive so I wouldn't get restless and anxious, so I visited Ms. Hawkins for some tea._

 _I still haven't talked to my mom or dad after our argument over the phone and they haven't texted me since. I think they're giving me some space. I sent mom an apology after talking to Chloe but she still hasn't replied. I decided to try Shelly for some advice and it ended up being a really great idea, she gave me some insight that gave me some peace of mind._

 _I promise I'll make it up to you Mom and Dad. I don't even know where to begin._

 _Chloe came home in a good mood. She really likes her job, says Dave the boss is chill. Even said it was boring – not a lot of action in the Fork River Laundromat. We decided to play card games and talk more about her first day of work and her impressions of people around here._

 _Then something strange happened that evening- I was in the shower when the lights dimmed for a second and then the room flashed bright a few times as if there was lightning outside. I heard Chloe's surprise from the lounge as well. For a minute there I just froze, waiting for the thunder, but it never came._

 _Chloe knocked on the bathroom door then opened it a little to check on me, and let me know that she looked outside. Everything was fine but it looked like it was going to snow some more. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to normal weather patterns again._

* * *

 _ **January 9th 2014**_

 _Dana Ward and Kate Marsh are alive._

 _Dana is alive. Kate is alive._

 _They're alive they're alive they're alive._

 _I can't stop crying but I've got to write this down._

 _From the beginning:_

 _It's Thursday and Chloe had a short day at work today. I don't remember having any nightmares last night but Chloe said I talked in my sleep a lot and I seemed really upset. I wonder if the random lightning had anything to do with it – it probably triggered some subconscious anxiety… or something. But Chloe also said she had a nightmare, and could remember parts of it. She said it was like seeing the tornado again but nothing really made sense, but she told me that it made her think that today would be the best day to learn some things about Arcadia Bay._

 _I was so nervous when she got back home from work. Chloe was kind of quiet and lost in her head for a bit, and I couldn't help pacing until she grabbed my hands and pulled me into a kiss that she knew would calm me down. Calm us both down. When we were ready we sat on the couch and Chloe suggested the first thing we should try and do was to go through text messages we've left unread._

 _We both agreed that neither of us wanted to check social media – if ever again. It would be like… visiting a mass graveyard of profiles that would never be updated. There's no way I could ever judge Chloe when she said that the last thing she would ever want to read is the hundreds of posts to people's profiles mourning one another. I feel exactly the same. Maybe one day we can look on those websites to look through back through good memories… maybe._

 _Chloe went first. The only messages she'd ever replied to were her most worried family members reaching out to her – her aunt, uncle, even a cousin or two. She had told people that she was staying with family of friends to reassure them. I was really worried – Chloe had lost all of her parents so she was never, ever going to hear from them asking her to come home like mine do._

 _She was happy to have heard from at least two friends from Blackwell that I've never met. Chloe looked so relieved by this, and had to take a moment to calm herself. I held her hand the whole time as she couldn't stop shaking. She said they were really lovely friends to her._

 _I'm glad that at least some people in Chloe's life are still around. She couldn't find anything else after that and she went all somber again._

 _My hands were shaking when it was my turn to go through my inbox too. I had to steady myself with a few deep breaths. The most recent section of my text inbox was the only part I've seen since October, and those messages are from my mom, dad, aunt, and Kristen and Fernando from my Seattle high school. By the sounds of it mom had reached out to them at some point to see if they could get in touch. It was really sweet of them that they thought of me and they were both really concerned and a little relieved they had heard from my parents that I was at least okay. I'll have to reply to them another time._

 _I had to take another deep breath before I scrolled down and saw the next most recent name in my inbox… Dana Ward._

 _I burst into tears instantly._

 _There were only two text messages from Dana, one on October 24th and one on December 8th. The first one was a message she must have sent to everyone she knew at Blackwell, begging for anyone alive to get in touch with her. The second text was directed at me personally. She didn't know if I was dead or alive because no one had found me yet. But she wanted me to know that she thought I was talented and kind and thanked me for being so caring when she was going through a hard time. She wished we could have been better friends. And she called me a hero again for saving Kate Marsh from jumping off the dormitory roof._

 _I think the sound that came out of my mouth then scared Chloe so much that she cradled me to her own chest and cried with me.. it took me awhile to find the right words to reassure her that it was okay. Dana was alive. I didn't realize that would also make Chloe happy too. Of course, Dana and Chloe used to have classes together. She told me Rachel lived with Dana in the dorms and took drama together so she ran into her a lot on campus._

 _When I calmed down I was able to brace myself for the next message… Seeing Kate Marsh's name still makes me feel punched in the stomach._

 _I can't believe she is still alive. I have been so scared to think about what would have happened to Kate if she was in the hospital when the storm hit. I can't even comprehend how cruel and unfair it would have been if I stopped her from killing herself on that roof only to die in a fucking storm… But her name is right there in my phone. Four text messages. One the day after the storm, then another a few days later, one on the first of November and the last one on the 6th of December._

 _Oh Kate, I'm so sorry… you've always been such a good friend_

 _Her first message was similar to Dana's text asking about everyone after the storm. She also asked to get in touch and let everyone know that she had left the hospital with her family that Friday morning to go home, and if anyone needed help to let her know and that she was praying for us._

 _Kate's second text begged for me to still be alive and said she was afraid for me, praying that I was okay after I saved her life. Her third was even more heart-breaking. I could barely read the fourth when she confessed that she prayed for me every night and hoped that wherever I was, that God was looking after me and that I was at peace._

 _Kate, I don't deserve a friend as good as you… but you do deserve to be alive._

 _Thinking about any of this makes me feel so numb and, fuck, sometimes I just shut down. Apparently I went quiet for several minutes and didn't do or say anything until Chloe broke the silence, asking me if there was anything I needed or wanted._

 _It just came to me that I wanted to talk to one of them. I needed to hear someone's voice so I could truly believe it was real… that I didn't let Kate or Dana die. When I told Chloe this she asked if I wanted to call Kate, but I said no. I think… I think that talking to Kate might bring up memories of that day on the rooftop and then I might make things worse by crying or freaking out. I don't want to do that to Kate._

 _I decided right then that I needed to call Dana._

* * *

 **A/N:**

 _ **Clueless klutzy Chloe clumsily crowded careful creatives**_ **– Dana Ward 2K10**

 **Decided to wait for the release of BTS E2 before publishing new chapters, then ended up being completely blown away by it for a few days! In any case I wrote a few chapters ahead of time, so I'll make up for the delay soon!**

 **Thanks for the feedback, it really helps me to know what you guys want from me and your thoughts – always appreciated and guides me for my next chapters. Special thanks to Jossi55 for all the praise here and on reddit, it hasn't gone unnoticed!**


	10. Chapter 10: A Friend Indeed

Max paused her journaling with a sigh and scrubbed her face with her palms.

She switched from writing down her thoughts and opted to mindlessly doodle along the sides of the pages instead, attempting to gather her herself. Little does leaped about the margin of the page as the memories of her conversation with Dana swirled in the forefront of her mind.

It had been a conversation she would never forget.

* * *

 _Earlier_

Nervous.

She felt nervous as her thumb hovered over the call button next to Dana's contact. She felt almost as nervous as she had been when she called her parents for the first time since the storm. Except, this would be different. Max's parents hadn't faced a horrific tornado and lived to tell the tale, they had been safe and sound in a storm-less Seattle. Dana had survived the horror that swept Arcadia Bay, and that's what made the difference here. Max had no idea what to expect.

But she reminded herself that Dana had considered her a friend at Blackwell, and had always been kind and accommodating towards her. Dana had opened up to her and trusted Max when she had discovered (through her own snooping, admittedly) that she had been pregnant. She had let Max in during what no doubt was a sensitive time of her life after seeking an abortion with the money jock-bro Logan had given her, and she had shown Max and other girls around the hall friendship and care.

With this knowledge in mind, Max silently prayed for the strength to make the call, and that they would find some relief with one another. Chloe was once again by her side, reassuring and encouraging and protective, so Max slowly released the breath she realized he had been holding in and hit the green button.

The phone rang three times before the call connected.

"…Hello?"

The unmistakable voice of Max's high school classmate, Dana Ward, answered with a tone of uncertainty on the other end of line. Max's breath stalled for a second; it was the real deal.

"Uh… Hi… Dana?" Max stuttered out, her heart pounding against the walls of her chest.

"Yes? Sorry – I have a new phone, who is this?" Dana replied.

"It's me, Max," Max took pause for a short breath to steady herself, "Max Caulfield."

Silence hung in the air for only a few seconds while her statement sunk in.

"… _Max!?"_ Dana exclaimed with disbelief, "Oh my God, Max!? Is it - is it really you?"

"Yes, Dana. It's really me," Max assured her while the corners of her eyes pricked, "It's…Jesus, it's good to hear your voice."

"Max! _Max!_ You're alive!" Immediate joy in Dana's voice was nearly palpable even through the speaker. "Oh my God, you're alive! I can't believe it, I really- _Max!"_ Dana tripped over her own words in her excitement. Max couldn't help the smile on her face, or the relief that washed over her, hearing the cheerleader's words.

Dana was alive and speaking.

"I – I can't believe you're okay too, Dana. I mean I'm really sorry I only just read your texts, I-"

"Hold on a second, Max," Dana interrupted quickly. Max was only startled for a moment before she could hear the girl walk past people talking in the background, the sounds of a room full of people coming through. Max heard Dana tell someone that she had to take a call, the gentle slam of a door closing, and then the background noise fading. "Max, you there? I just had to go somewhere quiet so we could speak. Oh my God, I just – oh my God."

"Are you okay, Dana? I…ah, haven't interrupted something, have I?" Max asked, "I got your texts and I just knew I had to call you. I'm so sorry I didn't reply either, I really am-"

"Max," Dana cut her off before she could continue. "You haven't interrupted anything. Nothing, _nothing_ is more important than hearing your voice right now. I…wow. Are - are you okay?"

Max glanced towards Chloe for reassurance, and glistening and supportive blue eyes met her own as the older girl nodded her encouragement. Just that alone was enough to give her the strength to stay steady, despite feeling herself on the verge of spilling tears. She internally thanked whatever fate in the universe meant Dana was talking to her right then over the phone while Chloe had her back.

"I'm okay. I mean, as okay as I can be right now," Max answered truthfully. "And I'm safe if that's what you mean…I just don't even know what to say right now."

Dana sighed, and it sounded as though she had been holding in her breath while awaiting Max's response. "Me… neither. It's been so fucking insane, I understand. It's also just been, like, a long time since I've heard from anyone from Arcadia Bay. I'm honestly so amazed to hear your voice right now, and you're okay!" She paused with shaky breaths, "Max, I have to admit I'm crying here, but I'm so happy."

Hot tears were spilling over silently now.

"Me too, Dana. Seriously. You're actually the first person I've contacted from Blackwell since, -since...everything. It's just been really crazy. _Shit_ … Y-you are okay, right?" She bit her lip.

"Don't worry Max, I'm okay. Oh. What? Wow – really? I am? I know that Kate tried to get in contact with you too. We honestly thought you were _dead_ , we had no idea!"

Guilt twanged the muscles of her stomach at the idea of either Dana or Kate mourning her when there were _real_ tragedies to be concerned about.

"I'm so sorry. It's just been... yeah," -she sighed, and nerves rattled her voice- "I saw the texts from Kate as well. I'm going to call her soon, too. I promise."

"It's okay! Truly, you don't have anything to be sorry for. Kate's going to be so happy to hear from you as well. It's been really difficult to find out what's been going on, people are still missing…" Dana trailed off for a moment there and Max tried not to wince at the obvious pain in her words. Chloe's warm and smooth hand rubbed her arm reassuringly, listening into the conversation over her shoulder. The support was gladly welcomed.

"Where are you, Max?" Dana asked with concern, "I haven't seen anything about you on social media or anywhere. Did you make it out of Arcadia Bay okay? What happened to you?"

"Yes, actually," Max tried not to allow memories overwhelm her as she recalled, "I was safe during the storm. Chloe and I were just out of reach up… up on the hill by the lighthouse. We could see everything from up there."

She wasn't very successful at hiding the hurt in her voice.

"Chloe?" Dana queried, perking up at the name."As in, Chloe Price?"

"Yeah," Max confirmed.

"Oh my gosh! Is she okay, too?!"

"Yes, Chloe's okay. She's right here with me."

"Well, _shit._ This is…amazing, Max. I can't even tell you how happy I am that you guys are okay. You and Chloe-" Dana breathed out a shaky laugh, "-you can probably imagine how it feels after weeks of hearing no news and now suddenly you guys are alive!"

 _I can._

"We were really lucky…" Max added, not sure what else to say.

"I know that I didn't know Chloe that well, but everyone thought she was dead – her whole family, gone. I-I also heard what happened to Rachel Amber, uh… I'm so sorry. Can you let her know how sorry I am about that?"

Max felt Chloe stiffen next to her at the mention of her family and of Rachel Amber. Chloe returned the look she gave with shining, damp cheeks and reddened eyes and gave Max a small smile to let her know she was still okay.

"I will. Thanks, Dana. I know Chloe appreciates the concern. She was also glad to hear you made it out of the storm."

"Can I ask?" Dana steered the conversation back to her previous question. "How did you guys get away? Where you are now?"

Max couldn't blame Dana for being so inquisitive, not after everything they've all been through. Up until today they may as well have been ghosts.

"Yes, of course. Um, well, like I said we were at the lighthouse and it was just out of the path of the storm. Chloe and I could only watch and wait… for it to be over." A tattooed arm wrapped around her waist at the recollection of their worst memory. "We-we couldn't really stay around after that, it was too much… we just had to get out of the Bay."

It felt odd to tell someone the story of their escape. It was almost as if she should instead be recalling tales of how they rummaged through the wreckage of buildings and searching for survivors. It wasn't the truth though, and the truth wasn't pretty, but Dana was listening with an open mind and heart after and relief to hear from them, so she continued.

"We drove north after that. Well, Chloe drove us north and for a while we just had to get away from everything."

Dana hummed in understanding.

"…Eventually we found ourselves in this kind of mountain town, it's called Fork River? And, I dunno, we decided we just needed to be somewhere to kind of get our lives together and…and…"

It wasn't even half the reasons behind it all, but despite Max's stammering it was still true enough.

"Yeah, I understand." Dana softly interjected, allowing Max's story to come to an end before it got too hard for her. "It's okay, you don't have to get into the details of it all. I get what you mean by needing to be away from everything…away from Arcadia Bay."

Max genuinely wanted to know Dana's story now that she had opened up about theirs. It still felt oddly surreal this was a real conversation.

"Is it – Are you okay with talking about what…happened?" Max almost hesitated to ask but knew it would be best to talk about it if her friend would oblige.

Dana exhaled softly.

"Oh, Max… it was crazy. It was like that thing just came out of nowhere, right? I was in the pool helping take down all the stuff from the Vortex Club party with Juliet and Courtney. When I left the dorms in the morning the weather didn't seem so bad, just kind of cloudy you know? But around ten the rain and the wind started picking up while Jules and I were trying to get stuff to the car, but we had to stay inside and try wait it out because it was so bad."

Dana paused for a breath and Max gave her the time she needed to continue. She reached for Chloe's hand and intertwined their fingers, bracing herself for what was next. To say that it really _sucked_ hearing how tired and pained the once-bubbly Dana Ward was now was an understatement. Dana sounded like she had aged a decade or two.

"Around eleven I got all these texts from Trevor, asking where I was and stuff. At first it didn't make sense, I thought he'd be in class. But he comes running into the pool and he's soaked and all incoherent. Starts talking about a freak storm. That's when Principle Wells' voice comes out over the speaker system, ordering all students to return to their dorms or take cover indoors… I was so confused, I asked Trevor what was going on but…I didn't _get it_ until he took my hand and lead us out to the dorms. The wind and rain was so wild, but then I saw it. The tornado. It was _massive._ "

Max could feel her whole body trembling at the memory of the monster that had loomed over the town that day. She could almost feel the sting of the cold rain against her skin. In her mind's eye Max knew the sight Dana would have seen from the front lawn of Blackwell Academy: a perfect view of the storm crawling towards her. She could hear the fear shaking Dana's voice.

\- _the ocean thrashes against the shoreline while everything around her is a cacophony of roaring wind._

" We- ah, Trevor, Juliet, Courtney and I -ran back to the dorms as soon as we could. It was chaos, Max. People were running everywhere and no one knew what to do. Everyone was so scared and I think some students were trying to make a run for it and get to their cars or something. Courtney went off looking for Taylor and Victoria, I think, and I didn't see her after that. Then I remember there was a crash and screaming when one of the trees outside had fallen through some windows. It was so _fucking intense._ "

Max said nothing. She could imagine the scenario as if she was right there herself.

\- _standing in the middle of the street, sheets of rain lashing against her jacket, "Look at that monster!"_

"…I remember running into the girls' dorm with Trevor and trying to find my backpack and jacket. We were thinking that…of maybe trying to get out of there, too. You could see that thing coming closer and closer every minute and it was scary as all hell. But then the power went out and there was even more screaming, and windows were shaking like crazy. There was another massive crash and the whole building just shook, and we hit the ground pretty hard."

She blinked - _and a lighthouse is struck by a boat._

"Another tree had smashed through the stairwell. I could hear other things being thrown against the walls outside, too. Trevor tried to see if we could get out, but we couldn't because it was all blocked. We were stuck."

\- _an overturned truck lays in the middle of the road._

"We shut the doors and huddled out in the hallway and tried to stay away from the windows. Glass was getting blown in, things were flying, and it got so dark. Shit, I was so scared, Max," Dana's voice finally broke. "Trevor was my hero, he… held me close and kept me warm. Juliet, she…she was across from me, and there were a few other girls too. Courtney, Stella, Taylor and Brooke. God, we hoped everyone else was okay. We had no idea where you were, Max. Or Alyssa. I hoped you were safe."

Max knew where Alyssa was during the storm - _her classmate stands at the edge of a ruined apartment building_.

She recalled that it would have been afternoon by that point.

"I've never been so scared in my life, Max," She could hear Dana's breath hitching, speaking with a whimper, "It was awful. The noise was so loud, so terrifying. Everything happened so fast, all at once. Trevor pushed me into the corner and covered me… If it wasn't for him, I'd be- I'd be…."

The cheerleader's sobs rolled through the speakers and an ache wracked through Max's chest as her own tears fell, her skin damp. All of a sudden, Max felt weak as if she didn't have an ounce of strength left in her limbs.

\- _the fisherman cowers in the corner in fear._

"I'm right here, Dana. I'm listening."

She wished she could be there to comfort her in person.

"He saved my life, Max. The dorms were destroyed…It was just noise, and wind, and I can barely remember when the doors blew in on top of us. I was just so scared. Trevor just stayed on top of me, holding me…Then just like that it was all over. The noise stopped. It just…disappeared. And Trevor… he was… he..."

"…He didn't make it." Max finished for Dana with a small voice.

 _\- the view from the lighthouse as she held hands with Chloe is unbearable. Max can't stand to see the destruction she blames herself for unfold as the tornado makes landfall. She can not witness the moments all those lives will end._

It wasn't until Chloe's hand cautiously landed on her shoulder from behind that Max realizes she was no longer sitting down but instead pacing anxiously back and forth in front of the couch. She startles, and can barely comprehend what's happening as she looks between worried eyes and the phone she held in her quaking hand. Chloe hovered near her protectively, listening, watching her intently.

"No. No one in the dorm did. I… was the only one. If he didn't' hold the door back from falling on me…" Dana said.

"I'm sorry, Dana." Max whispered.

"…It's messed up, you know? I still dream about trying to shake him awake, or crawling out from under that wreckage. I can still smell the blood from my hands from trying to dig Juliet out. In the end, I just couldn't save anyone. I was entirely alone."

Flashes of pain, and rage, and sorrow ripped through her body, but she was determined to stay strong enough to continue the phone call with Dana. She was determined to do that much for her friend, despite her desperate need to run or hide or break down into a million pieces. Or all three of those things.

For someone with the ability to turn back time Max sure felt pretty damn powerless.

"W-what happened next?"

"It was kind of like I was on autopilot," Dana explained. "I hardly remember how I managed to find the edge of the wall and climb out of the building. It-it took me a while to realize that the reason why my arm wasn't working very well was because it was broke."

 _Fuck._

Max's sharp inhale hissed through her teeth.

"…I must have been running on adrenaline because I couldn't feel anything. I just kept walking. The next thing I remember was being carried off by some strangers who had found me on the front lawn of school. Then I passed out again, and when I woke up I was in a sort of make-shift camp on the football field with a bunch of survivors."

 _Oh Dana, you've been alone for so long. Thinking everyone is dead. Just like us._

She barely registered the gentle arms guiding her back down on to the couch, or the way they carefully took the phone away and held them in their own. Max must have looked as if she was going to pass out for Chloe to want to hold the device for her. Max pressed her free palms to her eyes then scrubbed at her face, trying to quell the desire to scream.

Dana had been through so much, and lost so much, and suffered… and it could very well be Max's fault entirely why the girl on the other end of the call is now boyfriend-less, best friend-less, and traumatized.

"I'm so sorry, Dana," Max cried roughly in anguish, "I'm so sorry…"

"Hey, hey…, " Dana replied soothingly "Oh, Max…"

"You didn't deserve this…no one deserved this."

"I know. It's so fucked up, I know. You guys didn't deserve to go through this either."

"I just wish… I could have done something to help."

"Max, it's alright. If I know anything, it's that you didn't owe it to anyone else but yourself to get the hell out of Arcadia Bay and somewhere safe, okay? There was nothing you could have done to help anyone at Blackwell."

Max had to suppress a weak groan.

 _You don't know the half of it, Dana._

"Hey hun, shhh. Don't cry." Dana's nurturing instinct was evident in her voice and somehow that made Max want to cry even harder. She was just so damn kind.

 _Dana's actually trying to comfort me when I should be comforting her. C'mon Max, be strong, she deserves better._

"I'm sorry I have taken so long to get in touch. You must have been so lonely. You've lost so much Dana. I'm sorry, I'm sorry…. I'm sorry."

"Max? You did the best thing you could of done for yourself and got somewhere safe with Chloe. And I'm so fucking glad for that, despite everything."

"Sorry. I guess I'm just emotional. Gah, I'm a mess, ya know?" Max laughed weakly, but it fell pretty flat. "How are you holding up now?"

"No shame, Max. It's okay. We're friends. And… I'm so grateful you've called me, you know? I'm r-really grateful we can talk. I know it's been, like, the worst fucking year of our lives. But I'm in a better place, with my family now, and they're taking good care of me. But…things are going to get better. You know why?"

"Hmm?"

"We've got each other now. You, me and Chloe. I'm here for you guys any time. This is an honest miracle that we get to be talking to each other right now. And I know we can get through this."

Max was able to conjure a small smile at her words.

 _Dana Ward, you are the best._

"Thanks Dana. You're so sweet. You…you don't know how much I've needed to hear your voice."

"And you're a good friend. I've really missed you." Max felt a little weight lift off of her chest as she glowed, just a little. "If you need anything, _anything_ , let me know, okay?" Dana added.

"Same here."

"Max, am I remembering correctly that your parents are from Seattle?"

The question caught Max by surprise, she hadn't quite been expecting that. "Y-yeah? Why's that?"

"Uh, it's just that I'm with my family in Issaquah now. I know you might be up north at the moment but… if you're down here, or in the area at any time, please don't hesitate to see me. You'll always be welcome here, you and Chloe both."

"Oh," Max blinked hard a few times. "Yeah. Sure, we'd love that. It would be good to see you again. And…" she turned to Chloe again as she spoke, "I need to see my parents sometime soon. They're probably really worried about me. But they might not let me out of the house again once I do, but I'll try and make sure we get together."

Just as Max thought she would Chloe perked up to her words, intently reading and searching her for what Max assumed was confirmation that she was being genuine. She knew the older girl wanted Max to see her parents again.

"Good!" Dana sounded somewhat lighter, "That would be wonderful. All you have to do is text me or call me. I know that being home doesn't feel right, not at first, and kinda surreal… so I understand where you're coming from. But come and stay whenever you guys need a break from wherever you are."

"Thank you."

Dana released a sigh, "You're welcome. And thanks, again, for getting in touch. I really hope you won't be a stranger any longer."

"I won't. If you need to text or call me, the same goes for you. I really want us stay in touch." Max promised.

"Is there anything I can do for you right now?" Dana asks.

"Now? Oh. I don't know…" Max ponders for a moment. "I guess if you talk to Kate today, let her know I'm okay and she can text me or call me if she needs. But I'll probably be in touch with her tomorrow, if that's alright?"

"Sure! Not a problem, Max. She will… she'd do well to hear from you. I've been trying to keep my promise from back in October of being a better friend, and hearing you're alive too… well. You're kind of like her angel. It'll be the best news. I'll let you get in touch with her for the most part."

Fresh waves of emotion crashed over Max and hot tears freely all over again.

 _Oh, my sweet Kate. I miss you so much._

"T-thanks. Uh, I should probably go now, but we'll talk again soon."

"I understand! I'll let you go. We'll _definitely_ be talking soon. Oh, and Max?"

"Yeah?"

"You are loved. I just want you to know that. Please, take care. Chloe also."

"…You too, Dana."

"Goodbye, Max." And with that farewell Dana hung up.

Time was lost on Max, and she didn't know if Chloe held her for minutes or for hours while she cried, curling in on herself and giving up any fight against the tidal waves of her own emotions. She found safety with the taller girl as she was cradled while Chloe whispered soothingly and peppered her with soft kisses. With Chloe she could release all her emotions.

With Chloe she was less afraid to be afraid.


	11. Chapter 11: Can I Be A Hero Too? (Pt1)

In the corner of the bedroom the radiator purred, the only sound to be heard amidst the sleepless night of Chloe's world. A world where restless thoughts reigned, the previous conversation with Dana Ward playing on repeat in her head. She'd already lost track of the time, which was funny in a sense, because the only known human being to ever keep and create the literal track of time was nestled close next to her, and that knowledge was _most definitely_ not lost on her.

Late night bouts of insomnia were familiar to Chloe and tonight was no exception. Under the nest of blankets they shared she held Max close in the same position that the smaller girl had fallen asleep in, afraid to move should she accidentally wake her after it had taken long enough to coax her into a calm that would allow to rest in the first place.

It had been an emotional-roller coaster for both girls that day and bittersweet, they had both had their fair share of tears when they had carried themselves to bed and cried together, little more able to be spoken other than soft reassurances that they were there for each other. Curled close to Chloe's body, Max had been rocked softly to sleep, leaving Chloe to fend against her thoughts on her own, a task she was well accustomed to.

She thought of what had occurred the past day. It had been their first real contact with someone from Arcadia Bay since they had left; Dana's voice was that of a survivor. It brought some peace of mind to know that there was a living, breathing part of both Chloe and Max's past lives that was still around and would continue to be there if they wanted it. On the other-hand Dana had provided them with a harrowing account of her story that had truly made the reality hit home that despite how wild and incredulous and impossible it all seemed – it was real. All those people they knew were now gone and now they knew how their final moments were spent before being killed by a tornado they'd never deserved.

Chloe tightened her hold on Max just a little bit more, and wished that like Max she could cry herself to the point of exhaustion and slip into a deep, dreamless slumber. Unlucky for her, sleep was a luxury she was devoid of tonight.

She opened her eyes in need of a distraction.

In the months she had spent in this apartment every inch of their bedroom at night had been memorized by Chloe, and there was much to be desired. They owned little and the bland, bare walls and doors were a stark contrast to the vibrancy of her bedroom left behind. Those walls were adorned with anything and everything that screamed 'Chloe Price', erratic and rebellious in style.

A vision intruded her mind's eye of her belongings strewn about for miles and the structures of 44 Cedar Avenue crushed beneath the weight of a whale carcass.

Whale carcasses remind Chloe of other…bodies. Bodies in the wrecks of storm-ruined buildings. Bodies like her mother, stepfather-

 _Stop! No! Not going down that rabbit hole again! Try to think of something else…_

She couldn't help it. All this knowledge now intruded her thoughts with the storm. What it was like to actually be _inside it,_ not just observing from afar. The stuff of her nightmares could never compare to the real-life memories Dana would carry with her for the rest of her life.

And Chloe _knew_ who Dana was; an energetic cheerleader, funny and sweet and a hopeless romantic. Probably one of the nicest people to have attended Blackwell Academy. She was not a bad person in the least, didn't own a cruel bone in her body. That version of Dana probably felt like a distant memory to version whose pained voice they'd spoken with, speaking of horrors that in no doubt had destroyed her life.

And then there was Kate Marsh… Chloe didn't know her personally, but. Arcadia Bay was a small town and even though she attended school before Kate's time, she knew her by reputation. Kate had made the news a few times for her volunteer work, popped up in the newspaper more than once for her contributions to the community. She was as good a person as they come, and she knew meant a hella lot to Max as a dear friend whom the time traveler had fought tooth and nail to protect and save. Maybe there was a God that cared enough about Kate that she was spared and given a second chance by both Max and from the storm…

She never thought she'd know so intimately the details of what it was like to be in the direct path of the tornado. But the way Dana had described it…Hell, she will never forget that phone call. Not ever. The faces of the people who died in that dorm will be etched into her mind.

Kate and Dana were definitely two of the most undeserving people to have suffered something like that and come out with so much loss and pain. They'd lost their classmates and friends. Dana lost her best friend and her boyfriend while they were mere inches away from her. Who else had been in those dorms?

They didn't deserve that.

They should be living happy lives, with everyone alive, studying and laughing with friends and…

It shouldn't have happened. The tornado shouldn't have existed.

And Chloe shouldn't be here. Everything would be alright for everyone if Chloe had just…just…

 _Dammit, I can't linger on that!_

Her breath caught in her throat.

 _FUCK. Not again!_

It was too late. The sudden familiar numbness trickling through her hands was spreading, the sensation of her vision narrowing, a slight dizziness in her head before her heart rate and breathing increases; no matter how many times she was caught off guard these panic attacks never seemed to get any easier – each as dilapidating as the last.

 _C'mon Chloe, focus!_

She grit her teeth trying to head off the attack before it got too bad, the need to suddenly bolt from her bed and out the door growing. Small beads of perspiration formed on her forehead and yet she begun to shiver as if she were cold.

 _Don't do this again. Don't wake up Max!_

 _Think._

 _Think of…_

 _Max._

Whenever Chloe began to chase the rabbit through the worst of her anxieties and fearful memories, Max is always the one thing that can bring her back to reality. Panic attacks had been a curse that had followed Chloe for five years and Max wasn't the only one of them struggling with storm-induced anxiety, and although Chloe tries to be honest with her best friend she tries to hide the physical manifestations of her problems best she can. When nights like tonight led to everything crashing down on her at once, she would focus on the girl in her arms, safe and sound, and everything would start to slow down again.

 _Focus._

Max's chest rose and fell evenly, calmly, and with each breath Chloe willed herself to pay attention to the feeling against her own body. She forced her muscles to relax enough and focused on the steady, slow breathing of the smaller girl in deep sleep. Matching inhale and exhale until they were in sync.

She payed attention to the way Max's warmth radiated against her own skin where their arms touched, allowing herself to melt into the feeling, dissipating the numbness of herself. Chloe held her close and nestled her face into the soft waves of chestnut hair. The floral scent of conditioner was comforting and familiar.

Max's soft little snores, the kind Chloe found so cute and gentle, washed over her as she listened closely. The rushing in her ears lessened and quietened until the only thing left were the smaller girl's breaths occupying the silence like a soundtrack she'd memorized a thousand times. The knot in her stomach loosened and replacing it was a fuzzy warmth, the same warmth that reminded her of 'butterflies in her stomach' whenever she was about to kiss Max.

The thought of kissing Max made her feel floaty; she adored those soft lips of hers, and the way Max would smile against her own was one of her favorite things in the entire world, especially because Max's eyes would light up and she'd let out one of her little breathy giggles. Chloe loved the way her laughter was like music to her ears, more beautiful than a songbird, and that the freckles on Max's face would stand out in those moments. Chloe loved how those freckles spotted Max's shoulders too, and when they'd lay there gazing into each other's eyes she would gingerly trace her favorite pattern with her fingertip across her collarbones.

She couldn't help but lean forward and place a kiss, ever so softly, on the freckles of Max's exposed shoulder, and hummed in contentment as the brunette remained oblivious to the world while in her slumber.

Just like that the world slowed down again.

The storm of her mind calmed, and the panic that wracked her body receded. It felt as though time truly had decelerated, and as Chloe found herself at peace enough to drift off to sleep she idly thought that perhaps Max was responsible for controlling time in other ways, too.

* * *

Chloe was on the precipice of sleep, dozing at the point where her mind is quiet and she's about to slip under, when suddenly a strange thumping noise echoes through the quiet from somewhere nearby.

She didn't think anything of it. In an apartment block where their neighbors usually came and went as they pleased, it wasn't uncommon for random noises to be heard during the night.

Until she heard it again. Then once more.

The thumping increased for a minute until it was becoming rather insistent. Max still didn't stir in her arms, the night had _really_ taken it out of her it seemed, and Chloe wanted to ignore the noise and hope that it would go away so she could finally get to sleep. Yet something at the back of her mind, call it instinct, tells her that this random noise demands her attention, or for her to at least investigate it at a glance. Reluctantly, Chloe opens her eyes and raises her head in the direction it appeared to be coming from.

Whatever it was, it wasn't in their bedroom, and it kind of sounded as though it was coming from the living room or maybe even outside. It was increasing in intensity too, and as much as Max is comfortable and warm and peaceful, Chloe had to sigh and resign to her curiousity.

 _Let's just figure out the source of the mysterious noise and then I can get back to sleep, I have work in the morning…_

She carefully unwrapped her arms from Max and slowly untangled their legs, causing the girl to give an unconscious grunt in protest at the sudden disappearance of Chloe's warmth and proximity. Chloe looked down at her and decided to not disturb her so she could sneak out and back in as quickly as possible, and slipped out of bed. Even with the radiator on she can't help but feel the chill in the air while wearing the sweatpants and tank she slept in, a chill running across her exposed skin.

Quietly she opens the door and pads into the lounge to investigate, the hair on her arm raising from the even cooler temperature change, but there's nothing to be seen. Spinning around to get a good look at the room, everything appears to Chloe exactly how it normally is, and mysterious thumping noise had stopped. She's about to shrug to herself and return to the warmth of the bedroom when it starts up again, far more urgent in nature, and her senses follow the noise to the middle of the floor.

 _It's coming from…downstairs? Like the neighbor, Shelly's place?_

 _But…what on earth IS it?_

Something about the whole situation _really_ doesn't bode well with her. The noise just gets louder and louder and she can't imagine what it is, yet her gut is telling her that whatever it is it's _not_ good, and Chloe has had enough experience with things that are not good to know that she should probably find out what it is.

Lowering herself to the floor she places an ear to the ground and listens for a moment before she swears she can hear what sounds like the tone of a female voice amidst the thumping. She makes a snap decision, as a woman of action she doesn't hesitate to make her way over to the front door and let herself outside, for surely it can't hurt to go downstairs and see what the haps is. The door closes and she hops swiftly down the apartment steps, cursing to herself over the bitterness of the cold, feeling slightly burned by the chill air.

 _Shit!_

 _Ugh, it's fine, I'm just going to check on Ms. Dawkins or listen through the door. It's only going to be a few seconds._

She goes to raise a fist to knock on their neighbor's door when she realizes she can hear the sound even better, so she presses her ear up to listen further. From the inside it was like someone hitting something metallic against something hard, and something that could possibly be a murmur of a voice? A grown?

 _Uh oh._

She raps lightly against the wooden door.

"Hello?" Chloe called out tentatively.

The banging stops and a woman's voice replies weakly, but it's incomprehensible.

"M-Ms Dawkins?" Chloe stutters.

Shelly's raspy voice replies, followed by a few more bangs, "... _Help._ "

Fear and realization shoots through Chloe like a bolt lightning, and she jolts into action. She jiggles the handle -cold and locked- and tries to push the door as she calls Ms. Dawkins' name out again. Nothing. She's definitely shut out, no getting in this way unless she's let in.

She slaps on the door, "Shelly? It's me, Chloe. Your door's locked and I can't get in. Are you able to open up?"

"…No," Shelly rasps back, as if she is struggling to catch her breath, "… _help_." She repeats.

Chloe feels about as cold from fear as she is from standing outside exposed to the winter air. Her heart is beginning to pound in her chest from her mind jumping to conclusions of what the elderly lady could be going through right now, letting out a groan as she looks around desperately for another way in and one doesn't appear.

"O-okay, Ms. Dawkins! I'm right here, I-I'm going to find you some help, alright?!" Chloe calls back. She's met only with a pained groan and a few more bangs.

 _Oh shit, shit, shit what can I do?_

She needs to find a way through that door and get help. Maybe she could call the office? Should she be calling for an ambulance, or the police? She doesn't know exactly what's happened. The office is closed at this hour of the night, would someone even be able to get here in time? Chloe decides to call for emergency help and pats her pockets for her phone, but of course they're empty. Her phone is laying on the bedside table next to Max.

"I'm going to get Max to come help too, okay? I'll be _right_ back, I promise!"

Shelly doesn't respond, and that worries her deeply.

Chloe sprints back to their apartment, no longer giving a fuck about how cold she is right now. If Max helps too, maybe Max could call for help from the police or something while Chloe finds a way in? Honestly, anything could have happened to Ms. Dawkins. Did she slip over and fall? Is it a heart attack? Stroke? Doesn't matter right now – what matters is that she finds help and ASAP.

She turns the handle to let herself back in, and it doesn't budge. Fuck! Of course, she hadn't thought to bring her key out with her, the door would have automatically locked behind her. Internally cursing her mid-night stupidity she bangs desperately on the door.

 _Come on, Max, we've gotta hurry._

"Max! Max, it's me, please open up!"

Her palms stung from the frantic slapping on the door, and she felt slightly breathless from the anxiety constricting her chest. Without warning the door swings open and standing there is Max, her extremely bleary eyes wide with shock and chest heaving with fright.

"Shit, Chloe!? Wha-" Max starts, but is cut off as Chloe goes right past her and runs for the bedroom. She quickly starts looking for her phone, or Max's – anyone's – as Max followers her.

"Chloe!? What is it, what's going on?" Max asks desperately.

"M-my phone, Max, where is my phone? I left it on the bedside table…" She rushes about, lifting up the pillows on the bed and running her hand over the covers.

"Chloe, you're blue! Calm down, tell me what's wrong?" Max insists.

Chloe looks Max in the eyes and nearly pleads, "Max! I need my phone – your phone – anything! Shelly needs help; I need you to call for help while I find a way to get into her apartment!"

Max's eyebrows shoot upwards. "W-what!?" She reaches into her pocket as she speaks, "I grabbed them both when I woke up and you weren't here, what's going-"

Chloe lurches for Max's wrist and pulls her with her and back outside again, explaining.

"Call for an ambulance, police, the office; anything. I don't know what happened but I heard her banging and calling for help and went to find out. I can't get in and she keeps asking. Please, Max."

Max looks confused but doesn't hesitate to nod, pulling her phone out as they both stood outside their neighbor's door in their pajamas. Chloe knew she could count on Max to jump straight into action. She knocks on the door as Max dials _911._

"Shelly!?" Chloe asks, "I'm back with Max. She's calling 911. Can you hear me?"

The moan in response is barely audible. Behind her, an operator has answered the call, and Max begins speaking and explaining the situation.

"Ms. Dawkins?"

A soft bang can only be heard. She turns to Max with deep concern written on her face, and Max's eyebrows furrow while relaying their address.

"She's barely talking. Can you give me my phone? I'm going to see if I can get to the office and find a key or something."

Max nods quickly, pulls the other phone and hands it over. Chloe can see her shivering from the cold too, then brushes her hand against Max's for encouragement as she passes down the rest of the staircase to the ground level, simultaneously attempting to dial the office after-hours. With natural agility she rounds the corner and makes it to the entrance of the office building in less than a minute, met with darkened windows and another locked door.

An answering machine recording picks up on the other end of the call, and Chloe curses. She lets out her frustration by punching the door once, then curses again as it rattles on its hinges and her knuckles protest in pain. There's no one around to help. Glaring at her phone's screen in desperation the time reads 4:13 A.M.

"Fuck! What's the point of after-hours if no one's going to answer? Stupid manager!" She mutters to herself.

 _Am I going to have to find a way to break the door down? How am I supposed to do that?_

Chloe bounds back the way she came, bare foot across the icy, snowy ground, and is regretting not wearing warmer clothing when she hears Max calling out for her as she rounds the corner to the bottom of their staircase again.

"Chloe!" She looks up to see Max's face peering over the railing to her, "Police and paramedics won't be here for another twenty minutes!"

"Shit!" She looks around desperately for anything that could help. Underneath the steps she sees a stray piece of metal piping as long as her arm, and pulls it out. Suddenly, a potential solution comes to her, and she throws herself back up the steps with the pipe in hand.

Max is bewildered by the sight of Chloe and is about to say something as the punk reaches her when she cuts the brunette off, chest heaving from exertion and cold.

"I've got an idea," Chloe managed to breathe out, "Can you stay here and try to talk to her? Keep her conscious or something?"

Max looks at her expression, then to the pipe in her hand, and back at Chloe again. "W-what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to see if I can break in through the back window." Chloe explains.

"What!?" Max exclaims incredulously.

"Trust me, okay? I've got an idea."

She nods at Chloe and raises her phone; the screen showing that 911 is still connected. "Okay, I'll explain it to them too-"

But Chloe was already heading back up the steps and pushing through their own apartment door, left ajar in their hurry to get back to Ms. Dawkins.

 _If I can get to the fire escape at the back of the building, I can climb down and try to break into the bathroom window._

 _It's crazy, but… It's worth a shot._

In the bathroom she placed the pipe down on the counter and opened the window latch just above the toilet. She had to put some force into it to slide the window to the side, but she managed, and once opened it was definitely large enough to allow an adult to squeeze through if they needed. A frigid breeze blew through the gap and into her face, and she gulped when she leaned out to peer down the back of the apartments in the dark.

 _Okay Chloe… you got this. You can do this._

Beneath her was a small shelf of scaffolding that led to her right, where an emergency fire escape ladder scaled down the side of the building. Chloe momentarily thought about how crappy this was for an escape route, but the place was hella old anyway. She turned, gripped the pipe in her left hand and hoisted herself up onto the sill, looked down and took a leap of faith.

"Argh!"

The shelf held her weight, and to be fair she had only jumped a few feet, but she released a pained groan at the sensation of the crossed metal balcony she had just landed on. With no time to waste however she shimmied along the wall until she reached the ladder, and with one hand holding the piping she climbed down a story until the reached the metallic shelfing beneath window of her neighbor's bathroom.

Locked and closed, the window needed to be forced open. In one swift motion Chloe rammed the end of the bar into the glass and with a loud smash she broke the window and through to the other side. She broke the glass away again and again with a few more thrusts, until she had a gap large enough to stick her hand through and release the latch to force the rest of the window open before casting the pipe aside.

Trying to be careful as possible she hoisted herself up onto her stomach on top of the windowsill and held onto the frame on either side. Unlike her bathroom, Ms. Dawkin's had a bathtub instead of a shower, and it was right beneath her and now full of shards of glass. Chloe flipped onto her back and pulled herself up by the frame until she was sitting upright, then swung her legs over. Her pants caught something though, and instead of lowering herself down onto the sides of the tub she accidentally slipped and crashed down onto her side, half into the bathtub.

" _Fuck!"_ She spat and groaned, pushing herself up and standing. Her side ached in protest but Chloe had to push forward and out into the hallway with her arms wrapped around herself.

"…Shelly?" She calls out. It's only been a few minutes but it worryingly felt longer, and she doesn't hear a response. "Hello? It's Chloe!"

It isn't until she rounds the corner to where the kitchenette meets the living room does she notice anything concerning; a few dishes and pots laying on the ground next to the bench leaving a trail of mess towards the table and to-

" _Shelly!_ " Chloe rushes over to the unconscious and still form of the elderly woman collapsed onto the floor. A fresh wave of fear washes over her as she notices her neighbor unmoving, a pot next to her hand – the source of the desperate banging - belongings scattered around as if knocked over by a fall.

 _ShitshitshitshitSHIT._

"Are you okay? Can you hear me?" Chloe bends down and places a hand on the woman's shoulder. Her eyes are closed and nothing indicates that Chloe had been heard. She shakes Shelly's shoulder gently, then taps lightly in an attempt to garner a reaction. Nothing.

"Oh no…" Chloe runs over whatever self-taught first aid she can remember from one of David's doomsday-survival books and lifts the elderly woman's chin up in order to free her airway, and checks her airway. A sigh of relief escapes her lips when she realizes that despite her unconscious state she is still breathing.

There's a banging on the door and Max can vaguely be made out on the other side, still talking to emergency services, and yells out, "Chloe, are you there!?"

"Yes!"

"Thank dog! What's going on?" The concern in Max's voice is almost palpable.

"Sh-she's unconscious, she won't wake up. I think she might have fallen, there's broken stuff everywhere where."

Max says something Chloe can't make out, then there's a pause before- "Can you let me in, Chloe?"

She swiftly reaches the door and unlocks it from the inside, allowing a shivering and blue Max inside while on the phone, and returns to the unconscious neighbor's side. Max kneels down next to her, speaking.

"Yes. We've managed to break in. She's unconscious. Okay," Max turns to Chloe, "Is she breathing?" She asks.

"Yes."

Max relays the information and then asks another question, "Are there any visible signs of injury? Is she bleeding?"

Chloe shakes her head, "I-I don't think so."

"What about her pulse?"

"I c-can't really tell if anything's wrong. It definitely looks like she fell, though. Maybe she hit her head?"

Max listens intently to the operator on the other end. She nods to herself and says, "Okay. We'll do that. Thank you," before hanging up.

"Get her into a recovery position and we've got to keep her warm. Help is going to be here soon. One of us might have to run out onto the road and show them where we are, though." She instructs. Chloe does exactly as she's told as Max gets up and finds her way into the bedroom, turning on lights as she goes and returning with a blanket to keep the elderly lady warm.

Chloe takes hold of Shelly's hand and speaks soft reassurances to her, hoping she'll hear and wake up. "You're okay, we've got you, it's going to be okay."

It takes a dozen more minutes before help arrives, Max meeting them by the roadside while Chloe never leaves Shelly, nor does she stop talking to her. She doesn't feel relieved either when the paramedics walk through the door and take over, she just moves out of their way and to Max's side while they work over the elderly woman with professionalism. Max and Chloe grip each other's hands tightly and answer any and all questions the paramedics request until a police officer arrives and the paramedics manage to lift Shelly onto a stretcher.

"Are you girls alright?" The officer asks. He has a friendly face with a full beard and salt and pepper hair. Chloe still felt quite tense and Max was in one of her usual states of quietly zoning out. Chloe manages a weak nod as the paramedics leave quickly. They'd been acting with such urgency that surely the situation must be quite serious, and the knot in her gut tightened.

"I came because I might have been needed, but it looks like one of you managed to get in just fine," he lightly joked in an attempt to life the mood, "Which one of you girls is the master at breaking and entering?"

"Me." Chloe half-squeaked. The officer regards the girls softly.

"It looks like you ladies need to sit down. Let's get you somewhere warm, alright? Then we'll have a little talk."

They both nodded and without letting go of one another they led the way back to their apartments while another officer stayed behind. The officer introduced himself as Constable Morley and kindly but forcefully instructed the both of them to grab a blanket or something warm and sit down on the couch. They willfully obliged, and Chloe realized just how numb from the cold she had become when the warmth of her blanket and the heating of their apartment started to cause her mild pain as her senses came back to life.

"How are you ladies feeling now?" He asked.

"Truthfully, a little shaken up," Max answered.

Chloe agreed, "Yeah...not the best."

Constable Morley nodded understandingly. He reminded Chloe of a typical, friendly version of a small-town cop; not unlike one or two she had her run-ins with back in Arcadia Bay. Idly she thought it was unusual for her to be speaking with a police officer when it wasn't for something she was at fault for, yet this wasn't exactly a good situation.

He just wanted a few minutes to go over a quick debrief of what happened in case there was anything he needed to know and make sure Chloe and Max were going to be okay before he headed off. It was freezing outside and he was concerned about them after being outside for so long, but after having a chance to warm up again they were no longer shivering. In fact with the numbness receding, Chloe started to feel a little bit-

"Ow, shit!" She exclaimed suddenly, causing Max to startle. She shuffled her legs.

"Something the matter?" Constable Morley asked. Chloe looked down at her leg and both Max and the officer followed her gaze. Max hissed at the sight.

"Yikes, did you do something to your leg? Let me take a look." The officer moved forward to lean in front of Chloe.

"I ah, I might have fallen in the bathtub full of glass?" Chloe confessed, then swore again under her breath while the policeman gently lifted her pant leg up -which was soaked with blood, as it turned out- and revealed a rather bloody and cut up calf.

"Oh my god, Chloe!" Max yelled.

"It definitely looks like you've cut it up pretty good, Miss Price. Ah, Max? Could you run downstairs and see if any of the paramedics can bring us some gauze and bandages while I look at this?" Constable Morley instructed. Max leaped up and out the door with surprising energy, considering their rather eventful night.

"Ah shh- is it bad?" Chloe asked.

"I think it's going to be okay, there's nothing _in_ your leg as far as I can see," he replied, "I'd say you've just cut it grazing it on something. We'll wrap you up and you should be fine."

Chloe nodded somberly. Suddenly, the weight of the night felt as though it was crashing down on her, and she felt more than a little exhausted.

"You okay, you're looking a little pale again?" He asked her.

"Just…feeling the weight of everything, officer." She admitted. He smiled kindly.

"Take it easy. You've had a big night. You're a hero you know, after everything you've done?"

Chloe felt her eyebrows furrow as if by instinct. A hero? That wasn't something she was.

"I don't feel…like a hero." She responded quietly.

Constable Morley raised an eyebrow at her.

"Maybe you're feeling exhausted and you'll be a little better in the morning, but," he smiled at her, "I can tell you with confidence you're a hero, Miss Price. I heard what the paramedics said. If it weren't for you being here tonight, Shelly Dawkins would never have lived to see another day. Fork River would have lost a beloved member of the community tonight if it wasn't for you."

Chloe mulled over his words in silence.

 _She would have died…if I hadn't been here tonight to hear her call for help?_

"Don't be surprised if you're a bit of a celebrity in the morning," he continued, "in a small town like this news travels fast. I've known Ms. Dawkins for years growing up in these parts, and…"

She raised her eyes to meet his, which were brimming with sincerity as he spoke.

"Thank you for being here tonight, Chloe Price."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This chapter has been sitting on my laptop for awhile and I'm going to have to split it into two parts. I work on Pieces in my spare time when I have the inspiration, and I have a few chapters pre-written that I've just got to edit! I set a deadline to get this up today and I'll probably re-write/re-edit some of it at a later date, since I just wanted to get the story out there.**

 **Speaking of editing! The first five or six chapters have been re-edited and re-written, if you notice some changes. I've been taking on the advice you guys give me to make the story (and my writing) better as I go. I feel with every chapter I get a little bit better at what I'm trying to capture.**

 **Another reason for the delay, I have another LiS fic in the works! It's already about 50k into a draft right now and the first chapter will be going up soon. It's an AU – far more angsty and serious – and a story for me to put all my LiS angst and adventure into where Pieces is a much more lighthearted story. So if you're interested in something different from me, keep an eye out of it.**

 **Finally, I just have to say: I'm so hella fucking excited for the release of the final BTS trailer today! While also just as equally saddened the end is nigh. I'll probably binge-write my feelings for months after December.**


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